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A Liverpool Labour councillor has resigned from the party in protest at Ed Miliband’s support for The Sun newspaper.

Cllr Martin Cummins, who represents Croxteth, said seeing Mr Miliband pose with The Sun had “rocked me to my core”.

In his resignation letter to Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson, Cllr Cummins wrote: “We are the the party of truth, justice and equality and we must stop compromising on our moral foundation just to win votes.

“It is therefore with sadness and sincere regret that I am resigning from the Labour Party.

“I pray that my brothers and sisters within our Labour family will understand my decision.”

Mr Miliband was pictured holding The Sun yesterday as an extra 22m copies were distributed across Britain to mark the start of the World Cup.

Mayor Anderson was among those who slammed Mr Miliband for posing with the newspaper, which remains deeply controversial due to its coverage of the Hillsborough disaster.

Cllr Cummins said in his resignation letter: “This paper’s degradation of women on page three should be enough to consign it to history, but the infamy of The Sun’s lies and deceit regarding our loved ones who lost their lives at Hillsborough should be enough for millions across our country to shred this deeply offensive rag when it oozes through their letter boxes, stains their hallways and pollutes their lives.

“I believe Ed has listened to unwise counsel in associating himself, and our party, with this degrading publication.

“I appreciate how difficult it must have been to take the decision but I believe The Sun’s under-handed publicity stunt, which is nothing to do with support for our national team, will backfire.”

He continued: “I believe that God works in mysterious ways and seeing Ed promoting The Sun has rocked me to my core.”

In pictures: Homeowners tell postmen they do not want a free copy of The Sun

Cllr Cummins will now sit as an independent member of Liverpool council.

The Sun’s promotional campaign caused controversy when some postmen across Merseyside said they would refuse to deliver the paper.

Hillsborough survivors were also outraged after receiving The Sun in the post.

Cllr Cummins’ resignation comes less than 24 hours after fellow Croxteth representative Cllr Peter Mitchell called on Mr Miliband to “consider his position as leader of the Labour Party”.

Responding to the resignation letter, Mayor Anderson said: “I understand Martin’s faith has led him to this decision and, while I share many of the concerns Martin has, I also feel that it is important to say that I believe working together with colleagues in the Labour Party is the best way of improving our city and protecting the poorest and most vulnerable in our communities.

“Over the last few months Martin has been signed off from most council business for health reasons and I hope his decision gives him the chance to recover.”

A number of Liverpool MPs, including Walton's Steve Rotheram, confronted the Labour leader in London on Thursday after he endorsed the newspaper’s campaign to deliver 22 million copies to homes across the country to mark the first day of the 2014 World Cup.

Me Rotheram wrote on his Facebook page: “He never meant any offence but in my opinion it shouldn't have happened in the first place.”

Wirral South MP Alison McGovern, chair of the All- Party Parliamentary Group on the Hillsborough disaster, also gave her views over the matter on Twitter, writing: “In response to those asking, I know Ed Miliband would never set out to cause offence.

“But of course everyone will understand how I feel about this personally.

“I've said this to Ed in person. The most important thing though is that we continue the progress made towards justice for all those affected by Hillsborough disaster, and that's what I focus on.”

More on this:

Jade Wright: Ed Miliband needs to do the decent thing and resign

Labour leader Ed Miliband apologies to those he offended by posing with copy of The Sun

Mayor Joe Anderson condemns Labour leader Ed Miliband for supporting The Sun newspaper

Posties take a stand against bosses over delivery of The Sun

Watch: Former girlfriend of 17-year-old killed at Hillsborough disgusted at receiving the Sun in post

Watch: People burn, bin and post back unwanted copies of The Sun