BRIGHTON Kemptown’s new MP will continue in his role as city councillor for the time being.

Lloyd Russell-Moyle has said he could balance both roles for the next few months depending on the wishes of his residents.

He said there was a precedence for city councillors to remain on for up to a year after election.

Mr Russell-Moyle said he would “step back” from some of the more “onerous” committees such as planning but would remain a member of the majority of working groups, especially those to which the previous MP Simon Kirby had also been invited to attend.

He successfully won a by-election for the East Brighton ward in August after previous incumbent Maggie Barradell had to stand down for family reasons.

Mr Russell-Moyle then claimed a sensational General Election victory on Thursday night, overturning Conservative Simon Kirby’s 690 majority and turning it into one of around 10,000 for Labour.

He travelled up to Westminster on Saturday to collect his passes and register as an MP though he will have to wait five weeks to be given a parliamentary office.

If he were to resign from the council now and spark a by-election in the Labour stronghold, where Mr Russell-Moyle won 50 per cent more votes than the rest of the candidates combined last summer, it would be the seventh election overseen by the city council since May 2015.

Mr Russell-Moyle said: “I don’t think it would be fair to call a by-election next week. That would be unhelpful. I will discuss the issue and the timing with the residents’ associations in my ward.

“Des Turner, Ivor Caplin and David Lepper all took a little while before they resigned, some up to a year.

“If we are to have another election in the foreseeable future has to be a consideration.

“If of course it looks like we are going to be in a five-year parliament, I would expect to be handing in my resignation by next year.

“Being a councillor is not meant to be a full-time job, though being an MP is.

“They wouldn’t be compatible for a long period of time.”

Conservative city councillor Steve Bell said Mr Russell-Moyle might struggle to balance the demands of being a new MP in such a tumultuous and uncertain time in Westminster and fulfilling his duties as a councillor.

He added: “It is his choice.

“He could stay on for as long as he wants to because there is nothing against it and there are other councillors, including plenty of Conservatives, who do it, but I think it could be a conflict of interest.

“I think he should think about how it might affect the Labour administration as well.”