A labour politician of long standing has decided to stand against his former colleagues in council elections because he is disillusioned with the party.

Ken Tiwari, 61, who has been a member of the Labour Party for 43 years, represented Old Marston and Risinghurst on Oxford City Council for almost a decade until standing down in May 2000.

He now intends to stand for Oxfordshire County Council in Old Marston as an independent candidate.

"People want you to speak for them - not for the party - and the Labour party don't let you speak your mind. I've been disciplined dozens of times by the Labour Party, and I won't be disciplined any more," he said.

Mr Tiwari, of Old Marston, Oxford, blames the county council's Labour group for spending £20m on the Oxford Transport Strategy (OTS) and not investing more in the Old Marston, Risinghurst and Sandhills areas of Oxford.

He said: "The roads in this area need resurfacing, they're like the Great Wall of China, they need resurfacing, not patching up.

"We need traffic lights at the Green Road roundabout in Headington and pelican crossings in Marsh Lane and Cherwell Drive. People have been killed there.

"The county council is selling Milham Ford Upper School for the money. They're selling everything off and saying they don't have any money.

"It's all gone on the OTS but they shouldn't spend all the money in one area and discriminate against the people in my area."

John Tanner, leader of the city council's Labour group, was disappointed by Mr Tiwari's decision.

"Ken has been an outstanding colleague and we fought together against the poll tax," he said.

"He has been an exceptional representative for the people of Old Marston and I hope in the future he will again be a good Labour councillor for them."