Labour loses control of council after defection

Councillor Will Markham has defected to the Conservatives

The Labour Party has lost its majority on a West Midlands council after a member defected to the Conservatives.

Councillor Will Markham, who represents Bedworth Heath on Nuneaton and Bedworth Council, left Labour and crossed the floor to join the Tories during a meeting on Wednesday evening.

Following his defection, Markham accused his former party of "acting in their own interests".

Labour group leader Chris Watkins said Markham should resign.

The BBC understands the move took councillors by surprise.

Watkins called for a by-election in the seat, saying voters "should be able to go to the ballot again so they can have their say on the party that represents them and their interests on the council".

He added that defections "bring our politics into disrepute and deprive voters of their democratic choice".

The defection has left the council under no overall control just months after Labour gained a majority in May's elections.

Labour now has 19 seats, while the Conservatives have 17 and the Green Party two.

Markham, who was elected in May and canvassed for Labour in the past, said he crossed the floor because of "the way certain Labour members are running the council".

He added: "They are acting in their own interests rather than considering the residents. I have been ostracised by some of the group for speaking out."

He said he felt unable to represent his residents and claimed he did not have the freedom to vote "other than a whipped vote on such things as the Bulkington lights".

Markham said he felt he would get more support from the Conservatives to represent his residents.