The leader and deputy leader of Isle of Wight Council have both resigned, claiming their positions had become ‘untenable' and ‘intolerable'.

Jonathan Bacon and Steve Stubbings announced they were quitting yesterday as government's cuts and the ‘negative' behaviours of other elected members had made it impossible for them to lead the council.

In a statement, Cllr Bacon said: ‘Steve and I have done our best to lead the council through the difficulties it faces, but, in the face of the unwillingness of government to lift a finger to help and the preference for too many elected members to act negatively rather than try to help, we are of the view that our positions as leader and deputy leader of the council are now untenable and, perhaps more pertinently, intolerable.'

Cllr Stubbings added: ‘Isle of Wight Council has been forced into a corner where, with the best will in the world, the opportunity for anyone with even a modicum of compassion and concern for residents to do anything to address issues that need to be dealt with is pretty much impossible in the face of the cuts that have been and which continue to be imposed.'

The council said existing executive members would stay in place until a new leader is elected tomorrow.

One of the first decisions for the new leader will be whether to continue backing plans for a Solent combined authority.