FORMER Dudley Council leader Les Jones has quit the authority's Conservative group in a shock move literally out of the blue.

Cllr Jones resigned the Tory whip last week ahead of the group's AGM and will now sit on the council as an independent Conservative.

His successor as leader, cllr Patrick Harley, confirmed cllr Jones's resignation and called on him to step down from his Pedmore and Stourbridge East ward having been elected as a candidate from the Dudley Tory group.

Cllr Harley said: "He said his resignation from the group was because of recent events and bringing national politics into the council chamber on both sides.

"There should be a by-election, we have some very able young candidates and if people don't want to be part of our resurgence they should resign their seats."

The surprise resignation is the final chapter in a turbulent year for the group which lost control of Dudley Council in May 2012.

Cllr Jones became Dudley's leader a year earlier after the then leader Anne Millward lost her seat on the council in the 2011 local elections.

Just a year later Dudley's Tories were out of office after a night of heavy defeats at the polls which sparked unrest within the group and criticism of cllr Jones's leadership.

He resigned as leader of the Tory group in February.

Ironically cllr Harley, who says national politics has always been a feature of local council debate, believes his predecessor made a mistake in stepping down as leader and has left the door open for a return by his former boss.

Cllr Harley said: "I don't think he should have resigned as leader, he should have toughed it out and resigning the whip is not a very wise move, he will regret it in time.

"I would have him back and welcome him with open arms."