The Conservatives on Brighton and Hove City Council have been hit by their third resignation in two days.

Jayne Bennett will stay on as an independent councillor.

Her departure follows the news yesterday that former mayor Jenny Barnard-Langston and her husband Mark Barnard have left to join the Liberal Democrats.

Coun Bennett's husband David is also a Tory councillor, representing Stanford word. He will remain a Conservative.

Coun Bennett represents Goldsmid ward in Hove, the same area as Coun Barnard-Langston.

The decision means there are now no Tory members for Goldsmid, once a party stronghold.

Coun Bennett has been best known for her work to keep breast cancer services in Brighton and Hove.

The Tories are short of councillors following the three defections and the death earlier this month of Coun John Sheldon.

They now have 22. Labour has 46, the Lib Dems five and the Greens three. There is one independent and one vacancy.

Coun Bennett, who has been a Conservative for about ten years, said: "My views are broadly Conservative but I don't fit in with the group any more.

"I don't think there should be much party politics at a local level. I'd rather get on with my community work.

Coun Bennett said matters came to a head on Thursday at a council meeting when the Tories put up a rival candidate to Lib Dem David Watkins, who the ruling Labour group backed to be the next city mayor.

She said: "I couldn't remain in the Conservative group. There is so much backbiting behind the scenes.

"I will carry on working with Jenny in the ward. I will vote in the chamber the way in which people would want me to."

Tory group leader Brian Oxley said: "This isn't surprising as we all knew Jayne and Jenny were very close and that Jayne has always pursued her own issues in her own way within the group."