MP Matt Hancock to receive Newmarket Town Council letter asking him to step down after near-unanimous vote

Newmarket Town Council will send a letter to Matt Hancock asking him to resign as MP following a vote at a town council meeting last night.

Mr Hancock, who is MP for West Suffolk, has recently been eliminated from the television show I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here, and has now been on the wrong end of another vote just days later.

All councillors, aside from John Berry, who abstained, voted to call on Mr Hancock to resign, although councillors Drummond and Hood were not present at the meeting.

Speaking before the vote, Councillor Lisa Crissall, Independent, said: "We, the constituents of West Suffolk feel extremely let down by our MP Matt Hancock in his decision to take part in this reality TV show. This decision would lead us to believe that this is the career path he would prefer to take, as a celebrity instead of fulfilling his role as Minister of Parliament for West Suffolk.

"We would ask that he resign his seat and allow someone who cares about their constituents to fill the role."

Councillor James Lay, Conservative, added: "One of the reasons why we miss out in Newmarket from the county council and the reason we miss out from West Suffolk Council is because we don't have an MP who works for us within the constituency.

"We've had an MP who is more interested in his own career rather than supporting the people of Newmarket and I think that is a great shame.

"On a personal note, I have sent several emails to Matt Hancock hoping that I would get a response to some of the things that needed to be done and the response from him - well, there has been no response. We need someone who works on our behalf."