Labour Leader Criticised Over Campaigning Plans

1.01.00am GMT Tue 2nd Feb 2010

Leicester's Labour Council leader has been heavily criticised over his plans to take weeks off on full pay to campaign to become an MP.

Leicester's Labour Council leader has been heavily criticised over his plans to take weeks off on full pay to campaign to become an MP.

In the run-up to polling day which is believed to be on May 6th, Ross Willmott is to take six weeks paid leave from his job as City Council leader to campaign in North West Leicestershire.

Liberal Democrat leader Peter Coley said in local press, "We have to ask where this supposed entitlement to holiday comes from. He is the leader of the council but he is not an employee. There's no provision for him to take a break like this."

Former Liberal Democrat leader of the council Roger Blackmore told local press, "When I was leader, I'd take a break from time to time, perhaps three or four days here and there. It was difficult to squeeze in time off with the demands of being leader and my total time off would come to between two and three weeks over the year."