West Northamptonshire Council leader Jonathan Nunn vote proposed

Jonathan Nunn has been leader of West Northamptonshire Council since it was formed in 2021

An extraordinary council meeting has been requested to propose a motion of no confidence in a Conservative council leader.

It follows claims about Jonathan Nunn, leader of West Northamptonshire Council, in the magazine Private Eye.

Independent Ian McCord has submitted the meeting request to the authority.

Mr Nunn said he regretted a conviction for assault 20 years ago, but that allegations of more recent abuse were unfounded.

Posting on X, Mr McCord said the no-confidence motion would be the only item on the agenda.

The Labour group on the council said all members of the party's executive had supported the request for the meeting.

There is no timeframe for when the meeting can take place and the council confirmed it has received Mr McCord's request.

A meeting of the authority's cabinet, made up of Conservative councillors, is due to take place on Tuesday.

Ian McCord was previously a member of the Conservative Party but now sits as an independent

An independent councillor attempted to raise concerns about Mr Nunn at a recent full council meeting, but was not permitted to do so.

Mr Nunn has said publicly he received a community order following a conviction of assault 20 years ago.

He has said: "Domestic abuse is never acceptable and I regret my past mistakes.

"This past behaviour is not something I am proud of, and in the many years that have since passed I have worked hard to make up for the past by trying to contribute something positive."

He said he believed an individual was seeking to discredit him and "this has included unfounded accusations of abuse through emails sent to many people and now to the media".

So far only one Conservative councillor, Cheryl Hawes, who represents Kingsthorpe South, has publicly said she no longer backs Mr Nunn as council leader.

The Labour and Liberal Democrat groups on the council have called on him to step down.