A PROMINENT councillor has rejoined the Labour Party less than six months after she resigned.

Cllr Debbie Newall left the party in November citing "personal reasons" but continued voting in line with the Labour group as an indepedent.

The Breightmet councillor held the portfolio for adult social care and health which council leader Linda Thomas has been responsible for ever since.

She said: “After this long election campaign, I have decided to rejoin. If speaking to my constituents in Breightmet and talking to my friends in the party has told me anything these past six weeks, it is that my loyalty to the Labour Party and the people I was elected represent, as a Labour councillor, outweighs the personal issues I have faced.

“My priority is to stand with my Labour Party colleagues to give the residents of Breightmet and the borough as a whole the kind of proactive and caring representation that they deserve."

Cllr Newall's departure last year left the council in no overall control although Labour were still the largest party with 30 out of a possible 60 seats.

She added: “Only a Labour administration will protect our people from the worse excesses of Tory driven austerity and I know that I am best placed to serve and represent the residents of Breightmet as part of the Labour Group.”