Reading’s former mayor Chris Maskell says he is staying loyal to Labour after threatening to resign the party whip on the council. Colleagues rallied round with baseball bats to urge him to change his mind and it seems Reading West MP Martin Salter, a close friend of Cllr Maskell, was instrumental in persuading him to stick it out with Labour.

Councillor Maskell made his announcement after a ten day holiday in Gosport. He however denied that any injuries he is sporting had anything to do with the Reading West MP. He told our reporter: "I fell over at the Stokes Bay Festival in the Leveller's mosh pit. And when Chumbawamba came on I got up again. Was that okay Mr. Salter? Please don't hit me again. I'll be a good boy now."