Councillors are furious their colleagues ‘wasted’ a debate by discussing Brexit instead of other issues at a meeting.

Waltham Forest Council’s ruling Labour group tabled a motion to discuss its impact – but the Conservatives say this is a “neglect of council duties.”

The Conservatives argued the meeting should have be used to discuss other important issues, such as their debate at the previous full council meeting on adult social care.

Parties are only allowed to submit two motions a year to discuss at full council meetings.

Cllr Alan Siggers, leader of the Conservative group, said: “It disappoints me that Labour in Waltham Forest are clearly bereft of ideas about changes we can make locally.

“The Conservative motion about improved conditions for carers that we discussed at the last full council provoked a really engaging conversation and resulted in tangible, positive changes for carers as a result.

“Last year we had a general election where 80 per cent of the electorate voted for parties committed to delivering Brexit.

“It reminds us that it is rich of the Waltham Forest Labour party to put forward this motion when just last year they put on a red rosette and sold their pro-Brexit manifesto to the people of this borough.

“This motion served only to highlight the hypocrisy of the labour party and vanity of an administration too afraid to answer the big questions of their leadership.”

Council leader Clare Coghill denied any abandonment of the council’s duties and claimed that the Brexit issues is indeed a locally relevant one.

She said: “Brexit puts jobs at risk, it puts our NHS at risk and it puts already chronically underfunded council services at risk. We would be remiss in our duty if we did not discuss and challenge the utter chaos Brexit will cause and the impact on all our residents.

“We have had two years of uncertainty and botched Tory negotiations which have already harmed our economy.

“Now at best, we are expecting to leave the EU with a terrible deal and at worst, leave with no deal at all.

“The electorate were lied to. The Leave Campaign broke electoral law. Now we know that a good deal cannot be reached, it is vital we give people the chance to vote again in full knowledge of their options.

“I am putting our residents first and collectively, we stand united with the 700,000 people who came from all over the UK – including Waltham Forest – to march in London this weekend to make their voices heard.”