Arthur Scargill’s Socialist Labour Party has claimed a second Labour politician.

Cllr Barry Poulton has defected from Ed Milliband’s Labour party, following in the footsteps of Cllr Jim McDermott only last month.

The Thames Ward councillor was described as a “man of principal” who is “placing the concerns of his community ahead of self interest”, by SLP president Andrew Jordan.

Cllr Poulton said: “I have the largest casework workload of any Councillor in the borough.

“I get a great deal of satisfaction from my work as a Councillor and could not let all the work that I have put in over many years go to waste. Hence one of the reasons in making my decision to join the Socialist Labour Party.”