Conservatives at the Local Government Association (LGA) have come under fire for alleged political in-fighting when ‘they should be focusing on representing local government'.

Leader of the LGA Liberal Democrat group, Richard Kemp, claims a split has erupted within the Tory group as leading politicians vie for the posts of chairman of the association and leader of the Conservative group, both of which become available this summer. The association is currently under pressure internally, as staff are being interviewed for the remaining jobs in the cuts process.