A SECOND former Reading mayor has changed their political allegiance.
Cllr Chris Maskell has left the ruling Labour group and is now sitting as an independent councillor.
It comes after the Reading party launched an investigation into some posts he made on social media.
His Twitter page has been deactivated, and there are no comments on his personal Facebook page, indicating that these comments have been deleted.
However, he has posted pictures indicating his support of former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn at the expense of current Labour leader Sir Kier Starmer.
Cllr Maskell represents Battle ward, a role he has held since 2001, serving as mayor in 2007. He had originally joined the party in 1990, purely to deliver leaflets.
There had been speculation in 2008 that he would leave the party, after taking his website down for maintenance, but posting a picture from the film Independence Day as a holding image.
However, he stayed with the party until now.
In a statement, Cllr Jason Brock, Reading Labour Group Leader, said: “Cllr Maskell was suspended by the Labour Party pending an investigation into comments posted on social media. He has decided to resign from Labour prior to the conclusion of this investigation and, consequently, will no longer sit as a Labour councillor.”
Earlier this month, the most recent mayor, Cllr David Stephens, crossed the floor from the Conservatives to join the Reading Labour group.
