FOLLOWING his shock resignation, the city council’s Labour leader has been offered a beer by the Tories and a quick route out of town by the unions.

Councillor Warren Morgan, 50, announced his resignation on Monday night. He said he will serve as leader until the annual council meeting in May but will not stand for re-election at the Labour Party AGM in April. He will also stand down from the council at next year’s elections.

Hove MP Peter Kyle led tributes to Cllr Morgan’s tenure and achievements but opposition parties and left-wing groups had less kind things to say.

Meanwhile health and wellbeing board chairman Councillor Dan Yates, 45, has already declared his candidacy – and been described as “Tweedledee” to Cllr Morgan’s “Tweedledum” by Greens.

Tony Janio, leader of the council’s Conservative group, said: “Whilst Warren and I probably wouldn’t go to a Stormzy gig together, nor are we besties, nor do we agree on who should best deliver council services, working with him over the last few months on the budget has shown him in a different light.

“An honourable man, who is occasionally misunderstood, he does have the best interest of the city at his core.

“This is more than I can say about the lefties who are about to take control of the Labour Party.

“Actually, on reflection, the next time the Manic Street Preachers are in town I might just offer to buy Warren a beer.”

Mr Kyle said: “It truly saddens me that Warren has to leave at such a crucial time for our council and our community.

“His steadfast leadership has delivered everything the Labour Party asked of him and an extraordinary set of achievements for our city.

“I hope anyone who aspires to fill his shoes realises just how big those shoes are.”

But Green leader Phelim MacCafferty said: “Labour’s council leader has been ousted by his own divided party. But look around the city and signs of Labour’s self-implosion are everywhere.

“Graffiti, grime and litter have spiralled out of control. Plans for the Royal Pavilion are in tatters. School catchments reversed after huge public outcry. Despite pledging to end rough sleeping, Labour has failed to get a grip on homelessness as temperatures plummet.

“At last week’s budget Labour made a deal with the Tories to pass on £12 million of cuts while hiking council tax by six per cent.

“What should worry everyone is that the favourite to replace Warren, Dan Yates, as Labour’s lead on health has made no effort to oppose cuts and the privatisation of our precious NHS. Everyone who supports our health service will be alarmed to hear this. Tweedledum will be replaced by Tweedledee.”

Councillor Yates declared his candidacy at the same Labour group meeting on Monday night at which Cllr Morgan announced his decision. It is not known when he knew of Cllr Morgan’s intentions.

Cllr Yates said: “Labour in the city has a record membership, strong community activism and the popular support across ll parts of the city to take control of the city council and to deliver the best possible services despite ongoing savage Tory austerity.

“We cannot undo what national Tory Government is doing to us but as a Labour and Co-operative city council we can work to protect the most vulnerable and demonstrate as a party that by the strength of our common endeavour we can achieve more than we achieve alone.”

Senior Momentum activist Greg Hadfield said: “I think Warren Morgan has done the honourable thing. He recognises that the party he’s now a member of is very different from the one he joined.

“And clearly, the Labour group in council after May next year will be radically different from the current Labour group.

“It will be bigger I hope and form a majority administration which will shape a different and better future for Brighton and Hove.

GMB union branch secretary Mark Turner, who has clashed with Cllr Morgan repeatedly most recently over plans for the Royal Pavilion Trust, said: “The announcement by Warren Morgan to stand down as council leader is not a surprise to me and our organisation however the decision by Warren to remain in post until the AGM is concerning as it leads to more uncertainty and a period of instability within the council and city as a whole.

“We believe that a new leader, whoever he or she may be, should be elected as quickly as possible and then take immediate control of the group and the council. To have two leaders for a period of a month or more will lead to confusion and leaves the party and group open for political opponents to attack.

“There is no hiding the fact we as an organisation over the last 18 months have not seen eye to eye with Warren.

“We do however wish him well and look forward to a new dawn, working positively and collaboratively with whoever the new leader of the Labour group will be and securing a majority Labour council for 2019.”