Rosie Cooper MP must quit now after missing votes, councillor says

Rosie Cooper said she took the NHS role after a "lot of soul searching"

An MP who announced her decision to quit in September should resign now after being "inexcusably" absent from key votes, a councillor has said.

West Lancashire MP Rosie Cooper is set take on a new role in the NHS, however, it has not been confirmed when she will step down from her current post.

Local councillor Adrian Owens said she had not been "fulfilling her role as an MP" after missing key votes.

The BBC has approached Ms Cooper's office for a comment.

Mr Owens, the leader of the Our West Lancashire Group, said Ms Cooper should "resign today" after being "almost completely absence from the voting lobbies".

He said she was using residents as pawns in some Westminster chess game.

"She has voted on only one day since Parliament returned from its summer break, inexcusably failing to vote when fracking was debated in the Commons last month," he said.

'Step aside now'

"West Lancashire's voice was also absent from the votes on the important and controversial Public Order Bill.

"By-election candidates have been selected for some weeks and are busy campaigning.

"Whatever games Rosie Cooper is playing need to cease.

"She must step aside so that West Lancashire can be properly represented in Parliament with an MP that attends to vote on the key issues that matter to local people."

The MP, who was the subject of a murder plot by far-right extremist Jack Renshaw, is set to become the chairman of Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust.

She said she would step down following a "lot of soul searching" after serving the people of West Lancashire for 17 years.

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