Bradford Councillor Imdad Hussain (pictured) has resigned from the Labour Party following his suspension for two years after it found he failed to disclose he had been banned as a company director.

Coun Hussain continued to sit as an independent representing the Heaton ward while an investigation by the party took place. But in September the Labour Party found he had breached party rules and suspended him until 2014.

Now Coun Hussain has announced his resignation, and that he has joined the Peace Party instead. He will become the Peace Party’s only councillor and intends to fight the Middlesbrough parliamentary by-election later this month.

He accused Labour of suspending him on “frivolous grounds” without consideration of his loyalty to the party for more than 20 years. He added that there had been a “prolonged witch-hunt” against him.