West Oxfordshire District Councillor Harry St John has resigned from the Conservative Party over Prime Minister Boris Johnson's leadership.

Mr St John, who represents North Leigh, said he will return once Mr Johnson is replaced as leader.

He said: "The lockdown parties are only part of it. I have been disappointed in his general leadership. But the thing that really tipped me over the line was his slur about Jimmy Savile and Keir Starmer. That was just a no go. As a young man I did boxing and the thing that you never did was intentionally hit below the belt and that, to me, was a low blow.

"What was even worse was it then turned out that he had been advised by his team not to say it – that sort of typifies Boris. He is terrific fun and very entertaining but he has just not got the serious side needed to be prime minister."

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Mr St John took over the seat from the long-standing Leader of the Council Barry Norton when he retired in 2016.

Mr Norton was also David Cameron's agent and upon his retirement received a knighthood shortly before Mr Cameron left Downing Street.

Mr St John has been a member of the party in the various places he has lived since the mid-70s.

He said: "I am a long-standing member of the party so it took quite a lot of serious thinking. I will return when Boris Johnson is replaced and that change needs to be done urgently in my view – but I leave that to the MPs to sort out."

Mr St John, who is not up for re-election until 2024, will now form a small Independent Group on the council with fellow former Conservative Richard Langridge.

He said: “I am now the Independent member for North Leigh and will continue to do my best for all my constituents who re-elected me last year with an increased majority.

"Everybody I have talked to in my ward has been completely positive about it. They are incredibly understanding and a number have said well done.”

As an independent he said he would continue to further debate about the state of our rivers, Community Infrastructure Levy, the number of empty homes in the district, Council tax banding, the Local Plan review and its policies, litter, speeding, and caring for our environment.

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Chairman of the Witney and West Oxfordshire Conservatives Charles McDowell said: "Harry is a very important part of our team. He has said he just can't support Boris right now. He is still very much a Conservative and will vote with the Conservative party he just won't have the whip. He will continue to come to events and will be back as soon as there is a change of leader."

He said Mr St John's decision to leave for this reason has not been reflected elsewhere with no other councillors showing an interest in leaving the Conservative Party.

Councillor St John's resignation reduces the Conservative's majority on the council to five seats ahead of the local elections in May when a third of the council is up for election.