A FORMER Labour county councillor who defected to the Liberal Democrats within three weeks of being re-elected "should seriously consider standing down", it has been suggested.

Cllr Tina Bhartwas won the Letchworth North seat on the county council earlier this month (May 1), when she stood as a Labour Party candidate.

And in the days that followed she was elected as the deputy leader of the Labour group.

But by the time the newly elected county council met for the first time, on Tuesday (May 20), she had switched her allegiance to the Liberal Democrats.

Liberal Democrat leader of the county council Cllr Steve Jarvis has described Cllr Bhartwas as a "welcome addition" to the Party.

But others within the Labour Party are now calling on Cllr Bhartwas to "consider standing down".

Cllr Ian Albert – who represents the council's Hitchin North division – said: "It is very disappointing, that after all the work of Labour activists to get her elected just three weeks ago she has changed Parties so suddenly.

"We wish her well. But I think its disappointing for electors, that they elected a Labour candidate who is no longer Labour.

"I am conscious that having a by-election costs hard-pressed councils financially.

"But when someone has been elected so recently under one manifesto and moved to another, that does mean, in my view, that she ought to seriously consider standing down – and fighting as a Liberal Democrat in the ward."

In response Cllr Bhartwas points to the similarities between her own priorities and the Liberal Democrats, such as improving support for children with SEND and fixing the roads.

And she says she will not be standing down, "to satisfy a party political agenda".

"My commitment to the town remains unwavering," she told the Local Democracy Reporting Service. "My politics are the same and I am doing the job.

Later adding: "And because I will continue to stand-up for the same things and do the job essentially on the same platform I will not be standing down.

"I will continue to serve the residents with passion, diligence and purpose."

Cllr Bhartwas has told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that her decision to move to the Liberal Democrats reflected growing concerns with Labour Party policies – pointing particularly to welfare cuts.

She also points to a speech by Labour leader Keir Starmer, that included a reference to 'island of strangers'.

And she says she no longer believes that the Labour Party reflects the qualities of equality and social justice that had been the reason she joined.

She had – following the May 1 local elections – been elected as deputy leader of the Labour group on the county council, after unsuccessfully standing as its leader.

But rather than being an indication of her commitment to the Labour Party she says standing for leadership because she "was looking for a variety of mechanisms to push against the policies locally and nationally that I disagree with".

"It was made apparent to me that Labour councillors were not to challenge government policies," she said.

"And what that meant for me was that all the things my residents are really affected by and are unhappy with – even in a position of leadership – I wasn't allowed to challenge."

Cllr Bhartwas also suggested that the only Party that she saw challenging the Labour government on disability cuts and welfare more broadly were the Liberal Democrats.

She also told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that since making the move she had been "overwhelmed" by support from residents, businesses and voluntary groups.

• Councillors are elected to the county council as individuals. So when a councillor changes their political allegiance, that would not automatically trigger a by-election.

According to the county council, by-election can occurs when a seat become vacant during a councillor's term of office.

Typically a seat can become vacant when a councillor resigns or dies, is declared bankrupt, is disqualified from being a councillor or is convicted of a serous criminal offence.

In these circumstances a local by-election would be called if it was requested by electors registered to vote in the local area.