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A Labour councillor defected to the Tories …and back to Labour the next day, in what he described as “the most stupid 24 hours of my life.”

Matthew Courtliff, a member of Swindon Council, announced he was to cross the floor on Tuesday evening.

He said he was “concerned” about Labour’s direction under Jeremy Corbyn , and looked forward to Theresa May’s leadership.

The move angered local Labour figures, with group leader Jim Grant venting in a statement: “To join the Conservative Party five months after being elected as a Labour councillor for a four-year term is a terribly dishonourable position and represents the worst about politics.

“I really don’t know how Cllr Courtliff will be able to justify his decision to the 1,421 people in Lydiard and Freshbrook Ward who voted for him as a Labour candidate.”

Mr Courtliff had even filled in the official paperwork to join the Conservative group on the council.

But according to the Swindon Advertiser, on Wednesday morning Mr Courtliff changed his mind, declaring he’d made a “terrible mistake” and describing the events as “the most stupid 24 hours of my life.”

In a statement, he said: “It has been an incredibly difficult two days and having spent some time meeting with Conservative councillors and MPs yesterday, I have come to the conclusion that I made a mistake in thinking that joining the Conservative Party was right for me or my constituents.

“My home is in the Labour Party and I owe a huge apology to my council colleagues, fellow party members and my constituents who have watched this unfold.

“My priority is now to re-join my colleagues, work hard for my constituents in Lydiard and Freshbrook and to put this all behind me.”