A FORMER Warndon Labour councillor who dumped the party before joining the Conservatives has been selected for a 'safe' Tory seat at this year's elections.

Councillor Alan Amos, the former Mayor of Worcester who infamously fell out with his old party, will contest the Bedwardine seat in May.

It means Councillor Amos, who only recently joined the Tory cabinet, will not face the ordeal of trying to retain his traditionally rock-solid Labour seat in Warndon under the rival party's banner.

Back in 2014, after a series of internal rows with Labour figures, ending in him being rebuffed in a bid to become its deputy mayoral candidate, he ditched the party to declare himself an independent.

The switch had huge ramifications, as he used his vote to effectively boot Labour out of office for a new-look Conservative administration, which made him the Mayor of Worcester in return.

He then joined the Tory benches last year and is now due up for re-election in May.

The Labour group's leader Councillor Adrian Gregson has already upped the ante for the battle by saying it comes down to a matter of "trust".

But Councillor Amos has resisted any jabs back at his old party, saying he does not want the election to turn bruising.

He has also not offered any comment to the Worcester News on his nomination, despite requests from this newspaper for over a week.

The seat he is defending for the Tories is being vacated by Derek Prodger, who has a majority of 372.

Councillor Gregson said: "His behaviour means I simply don't trust him - and other voters will have to make up their minds too."

Councillor Amos was a Tory MP for Hexham, in Northumberland between 1982 and 1993. 

The Labour Party is fielding Ceri Stalker in the ward, a personal trainer and first time candidate.

She said: "I have been speaking to people across Bedwardine, from Lower Wick to Meadowbank Drive and share their concerns about schools and about cuts to public transport."

Bedwardine is also set to be contested by UKIP and Green Party candidates.