Leicester's deputy mayor should stand down to focus on his campaign to become a Member of the European Parliament, according to a former city council leader.
Councillor Rory Palmer announced earlier this month he would be one of Labour's five candidates for the East Midlands seat when the election is held next May.
Coun Palmer has said he intends to remain in his £50,000-a-year mayoral post until election day, though opposition councillors have warned he will be unable to fight a serious campaign and carry on his city duties.
Now, Labour colleague councillor Ross Willmott has said Coun Palmer should resign in the run-up to the election.
Coun Willmott took that step in 2010, when he stepped down from his position as council leader to focus on his – ultimately unsuccessful – bid to become North West Leicestershire MP.
He said: "I carried on being council leader then I stood down.
"I would expect the Labour group to say the same thing should happen with Rory.
"I think the choice is already made. As the campaign builds you can't have a foot in both camps.
"Now would not be the time, but the time will come.
"Experience suggests to me you can't hedge your bets. You make your choice when you decide you want to be an MP or an MEP.
"You have to demonstrate you are serious about your campaign and people don't respect you if you say 'I'll keep this job in case the other one doesn't work out'.
"It's playing fast and loose with the electorate.
"This is not about Rory. The same would apply whoever is in that position." Coun Palmer, who represents the city's Eyres Monsell ward, said at this point he had no intention of giving up his deputy mayor's post.
He said: "The situations are not necessarily comparable. Ross contested the North West Leicestershire seat, which was a different area to the city.
"The constituency I am contesting includes Leicester and I am raising the same issues in my European campaign that I am working on every day here.
"Of course, questions can be asked about my capability.
"I am mindful I have a serious job to do here in Leicester, and if I feel I need to move to do more campaigning then I will have that discussion with Peter Soulsby and colleagues."
If Coun Palmer is elected to the Brussels job he would have to quit the deputy mayor's job.
