Last updated 11:25, Wednesday, 05 November 2008

A MOTION of no confidence in Allerdale council leader Joe Milburn has been withdrawn.

Yesterday, Duncan Fairbairn, a Conservative member of the ruling Alliance, applied to Allerdale council for the motion of no confidence in his party colleague "following a meeting of the Conservative group" to be made at a full council meeting tomorrow. 

But 30 minutes ago, he requested that the motion be withdrawn. It is not known why.

Mr Milburn said he was relieved that the vote had been retracted.

He said:  "This is just the game of politics. It has been an unseemly struggle but I will carry on as the leader of this council if that is what Allerdale wishes. 

"For me it is just business as usual and I will now be getting on with council issues."

Deputy leader Margaret Jackson declined to comment.

Independent councillor Margaret Snaith, of Silloth, who used to be part of the Alliance, said: "The Alliance has been rocky for some time and I think its only a matter of time before they implode."

Labour's Barbara Cannon said: "We have a lame duck administration. In my opinion Mr Milburn's position has become untenable.

"Although the Conservatives have withdrawn the vote of no confidence there is more to come.

"This kind of ineptitude shows that the Conservatives are incapable of judgement and therefore incapable of governing Allerdale."

Allerdale council will meet tomorrow at Maryport’s Wave Centre at 7pm. 

A meeting of the executive, due to take place on Wednesday, has been postponed for a week.