(Image: Newsquest)
The leader of Bradford Council has called on a fellow councillor to resign and trigger a by-election after he left Reform UK to sit as an independent.
Councillor Jon Barras, who represents the Bolton & Undercliffe ward, has quit the party.
Following the move, Reform group leader Councillor Stephen Place, leader of Bradford Council, said residents should be given the chance to elect a new representative.
Response from Reform UK
In a statement, Cllr Place said: "Less than six months ago, Councillor Barras was elected on a Reform platform.
"Now that he has left our group, he ought to do the right thing, resign his seat and trigger a by-election.
Councillor Jon Barras
"Residents in Bolton & Undercliffe should have the opportunity to elect a hard-working Reform Councillor to help us continue delivering the change which our district desperately needs and demands."
Who is Councillor Barras?
Cllr Barras was elected to Bradford Council as a Reform UK candidate in this year's local elections.
Before standing for party, Cllr Barras contested local elections as a UKIP candidate.
He also stood as the Yorkshire Party's parliamentary candidate for Bradford South at the 2024 General Election, where he secured 1.5 per cent of the vote.
Councillors are not required to resign if they leave the political party they represented when elected, and can continue to serve as independents for the remainder of their term.
The departure reduces the number of councillors in Bradford Council's Reform UK group and comes less than six months after the party made significant gains in May's local elections.
Cllr Barras has been approached for comment.