Slough MP Tan Dhesi has announced he will step down from serving on the Kent County Council.

Mr Dhesi announced in a statement that he plans to leave the county council before the local elections in Gravesham, allowing a by-election to be held at the same time.

The Slough MP issued the following statement: “Given my significant and increased Parliamentary duties, I have been in discussions over the last year with senior Labour colleagues in Gravesham and Kent about when would be the best time to step down.

“We were agreed that a standalone election would not be ideal and therefore I agreed to continue my service until the next round of elections. “

“As there are all-out borough council elections in Gravesham this May, this was identified as being the optimum time for me to handover my responsibilities to someone else, so that the KCC (Kent County Council) by-election could be held on the same day as the GBC (Gravesham Borough Council) election.

“I’m extremely grateful to the fine people of Northfleet and Gravesend West who elected me in 2017, given my previous decade long record of service within Gravesham despite knowing that I was a Parliamentary candidate for Slough. It has been an honour and a privilege to serve them over the last two years.”