EXCLUSIVE: Leading Peterborough Liberal Democrat councillor joins Labour Party

Former parliamentary candidate Cllr Darren Fower said: “I have today resigned my membership of the Liberal Democrats and have signed up to become a member of the Labour Party.

“I have notified the Lib Dem group and notified council officers. They have explained that I am no longer on any committees.”

Cllr Fower, the ward member for Gunthorpe on Peterborough City Council, has now asked Labour councillors if he can join their group.

He has promised to explain the reasons behind his decision in the very near future.

He added: “I hope you know that I am committed to my ward and intend to continue representing it until (at least) 2020.”

Cllr Fower, who currently works for Royal Mail and is an active member of the local branch of the Communication Workers Union, was at the time the youngest ever councillor in Peterborough when he was elected to represent Walton as a 23-year-old in 2000.

He recently stood for the Lib Dems as their parliamentary candidate in North East Cambridgeshire in June’s General Election.

He also stood for the party in the 2015 General Election in Peterborough.

The council is run by the Conservatives who have 30 of the 60 seats.

Labour will now have 16 councillors and the Liberal Democrats six.

Werrington First and the Liberal Party both have three councillors, while UKIP has two.