KIRKLEES Council was in political chaos today after the Liberal Democrats dramatically quit the ruling Cabinet.
Their move stunned party opponents and left a power vacuum in town hall corridors.
The resignations came after Lib-Dem leader Clr Kath Pinnock (pictured) lost a vote of no-confidence over the merger of Huddersfield and Dewsbury police divisions.
Tory and Labour councillors accused her of paving the way for the controversial merger by giving it her blessing when it was initially proposed.
It was an accusation she flatly denied.
But the other parties on the hung council refused to believe her - and combined to pass the censure vote.
The move will not affect day-to-day running of council services but will delay policy decisions.
Clr Pinnock today accused her opponents of playing party politics for the sake of it.
"The vote was totally contrived and unjustified," she said. "Labour and the Tories have destabilised the whole council but have failed to work out who will now do what.
"They have been playing party games and forgotten that this is a serious business about people.
"They don't care two hoots about the electorate."
The Cabinet consisted of eight Lib-Dem councillors and Green councillor Andrew Cooper, who held the housing portfolio.
The Lib-Dems had been running the council after elections left no single party in clear control.
The Tories and Labour had previously refused to take seats in an all-party Cabinet.
The Lib-Dems hold 24 seats on the council, Tories 22 and Labour 18. The Greens have three seats, the British National Party one and there is one independent.
There is no immediate timescale on a new Cabinet emerging but it is now up to the Conservatives and Labour to agree a new Cabinet and leader.
Clr Pinnock said she had no idea what would happen now.
"There could be a Conservative-Labour deal or even a Conservative- Labour-BNP deal.
"What kind of message is that sending out just before a General Election?"
Talks began today about how the council will be run.
Clr Robert Light, leader of the Tories, said: "All this could have been avoided if Kath Pinnock had admitted to an error of judgement and apologised to the council.
"She made it perfectly plain she would not do that."
At last night's full council meeting, Clr Pinnock reacted furiously to suggestions that she had backed the police merger plan when it was first made.
She produced a letter from Deputy Chief Constable Phillip Brear clarifying comments he made at a public meeting.
In it, he said: "It is very unfortunate that my very short reference to your measured comments has been interpreted as unequivocal support for a single police division in Kirklees, when that was clearly not the case."
Mr Brear went on to say that Clr Pinnock had stressed in talks she was not convinced of the benefits of a single police division for Kirklees.
Clr Pinnock said: "I am grateful for Mr Brear's confirmation that never, at any time in my informal discussions with the Chief Constable and Mr Brear, did I give my support, or the support of Kirklees Council, to the merger of the two divisions.
"My standpoint then - and now - has always been that we would need to be convinced that it was the best way forward for policing issues in Kirklees.
"That case has not been made."
Labour group leader Clr Mehboob Khan branded the Lib-Dem move "a surprise and reckless".
There had been no criticism of anyone other than Clr Pinnock, he said.
Clr Khan added: "This is a totally irresponsible act and Clr Kath Pinnock has left the council without an administration. This weakens the council's ability to provide local people with essential services."
