A LEADING Labour member of Brighton and Hove City Council has defected to the Conservatives - leaving the Tories as the largest party.

Cllr Anne Meadows has said she was attacked in meetings and other councillors did “nothing to prevent it”.

She said: “There has been a lot of anti-Semitism going on in the city and that was aimed at me as well.

“My husband is of Jewish descent. I found that really offensive.

“It came to a head even in Labour group meetings where I would be attacked and none of the other councillors would prevent it or hault it.

“I used to go home feeling awful and I thought there’s got to be more than this.

“This is not the Labour Party I knew and loved.”

Lloyd Russell Moyle has branded Cllr Meadows’ defection as a “barefaced career move”.

The MP for Brighton Kemptown added there was “one case of anti-Semitism” but the person behind it was immediately suspended.

Brighton and Hove City Council has been approached for comment.