Lancashire councillors resign over national party leadership
They have claimed that Sir Keir Starmer's party "wants to control anything that any councillor wants to say"
Twenty Labour councillors serving in Lancashire have quit the party in protest over the national leadership.
It means we will see all ten Labour members of Pendle Borough Council, including its leader, sit as independents.
They are also joined by councillors on Nelson Town Council and Brierfield Town Council.
They have claimed that Sir Keir Starmer's party "wants to control anything that any councillor wants to say", and have suggested its selection processes are unfair.
Pendle councillor Mohammed Iqbal, who is among those who have resigned from Labour, told the BBC's North West Today: "In the last few weeks there has been a culture developing from the national Labour Party that seems to want to control anything that any councillor wants to say.
"Or where there is good hardworking councillors that have been serving the community for a number of years, the party nationally seem to dictate who can stand where and when.
"We don't think that is fair and hence we have taken the difficult decision yesterday to resign as councillors of the Labour Party."
Four of the councillors will stand for re-election in May's polls, with candidate lists available by April 4.
A Labour spokesperson said: "The Labour Party's focus is on winning the general election so we can improve the lives of those we are elected to serve."