David Hodge has quit as the leader of the Local Government Association’s (LGA) Conservative group following the political furore over the so-called Nickileaks affair.

Cllr Hodge sparked a high-profile row last month when Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn accused prime minister Theresa May of offering Surrey CC a ‘sweetheart deal’.

Writing in The MJ this week, Cllr Hodge said: ‘It’s clear others want someone leading the LGA Conservative group with a different approach.

'They may want someone who will ruffle fewer feathers and so I have decided to resign from my position at the LGA.’