A TORY MP has described Labour-run Bradford Council's leadership as being "in crisis" - and said it is "now time for a fresh start".

Robbie Moore, Conservative MP for Keighley and Ilkley, made the comments in a video released ahead of a key Council meeting next week.

As previously reported by the Telegraph & Argus, the biggest opposition party on the Council will hold a vote of no confidence in its Labour leadership at Tuesday's meeting.

The Conservative and Queensbury Independent Group said the decision was made following the announcement that the NEC Group had pulled out of operating Bradford Live. 

A new operator is currently being sought for the £50.5 million venue, which has been mostly funded by the taxpayer. It is still not known exactly when Bradford Live will open.

Opposition councillors said the current leadership had "completely humiliated" the district.

But Bradford Council's leader, Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe, described the move as "political knockabout" from a party attempting to recover from a General Election loss.

In his video, Mr Moore - who has long campaigned for Keighley and Ilkley to "break away from Bradford Council" - pointed to Bradford Live and other issues, including "rampant economic mismanagement which now threatens to cripple the district's finances" and concerns over children's services.

He said: "These are not just political failures, but moral failures - and it's time for our local councillors to act.

"For the first time in recent memory, a vote of no confidence has now been called against Labour leaders in Bradford, giving local councillors the power to remove Bradford Council's leadership from office.

"Our local Conservatives will be voting against Cllr Hinchcliffe and her team on Tuesday - but they will need cross-party support.

"Right now, Bradford Council's leadership is in crisis.

"Residents have been asked to pay the price for Bradford Council's mistakes for far too long - and it's now time for a fresh start at a local level."

After the Conservative and Queensbury Independent Group announced its no-confidence vote, Cllr Hinchcliffe said: "After 14 years of chaos when the previous Government trashed our country, the people have just expressed a massive vote of no confidence in the Conservatives at the ballot box.

"The result is local political knockabout from the Tories who, after a huge election defeat, are trying to recover themselves.

"In the meantime, Bradford Labour won't be deterred from working hard to deliver a positive future for people in our district."