A LABOUR councillor has quit his party to go it alone in a shock move which has left local politicians ‘perplexed’.

Cllr David Evans, who represents Little Lever and Darcy Lever, has resigned from the local Labour Group to become an Independent councillor.

News he had quit the party broke on Sunday, just days after the new make-up of Bolton Council was revealed on Friday.

Cllr Evans was first elected in 2012 before losing his seat and being re-elected again in 2018.

He was the only Labour councillor in Little Lever.

Cllr Evans declined to go into detail about his resignation, which he handed in in April 30, saying it was a combination of “national and regional” issues.

But he told The Bolton News: “I have gone Independent, that is correct.

“I want to reassure constituents that I will continue to support and represent the community, there is no change to that.”

Cllr Evans, said he has been a member of the Labour Party for 25 years and would rather his silence on his reason for leaving the local group do the talking.

He was not up for election this year.

 

He stressed the most “important thing is” for him is to continue effectively “represent” the ward.

Leader of the Labour Group, Cllr Nick Peel said: “I am perplexed, he has not really given me a tangible reason for his decision.

“The Labour Group is now stable and progressive, there is no internal conflict and stronger than it has been in recent years.

“I am happy with the election results on Thursday and in the next election I think we will see a resurgence of the local Labour Party.

“I am very satisfied with the journey of the group so far, with everyone working together, it is not a group in conflict and maybe Cllr Evans cannot adjust to that.”

Ward councillor Sean Hornby (UKIP) said: “I am shocked but it is a party issue. I will continue to work with Cllr Evans, as I have done since he was elected, for the best interests of the ward.”

In recent weeks a number of councillors have swapped parties.

Bolton Conservatives gained Westhoughton town councillor, Carol Kirkman, who represents Central Ward, from the Lib-Dems. Her resignation from the Lib Dem group came after Cllr Bernadette Eckersley-Fallon had joined the Tories.