Councillor Shah Jahan Khan, member of Oxford City Council for Cowley Ward, today resigned from the Liberal Democrat Party and Group on the City Council to join Labour.

Councillor Khan said: 'I have decided to join the Labour Party because the direction which it is taking under Gordon Brown is clearly the best for Britain. I have been very impressed by the commitment of the new Government to make affordable housing a central priority; this is a crucial issue for Oxford and for my constituents. I have worked closely with Andrew Smith for many years, since I was Vice Chair of the Council's Race Relations Sub Committee, and have always considered him to be a wonderful constituency MP, who works tirelessly on individual cases.

'Over the past few months I have become very unhappy with the lack of direction with the Liberal Democrat administration on the City Council. They are out of touch with the people in Oxford East and have handled the introduction of the recycling scheme, which all parties on the council supported, in a disastrously inflexible and insensitive way. I was also very unhappy when their budget cut the funding for playgrounds and condemned many to closure. I was not elected to close playgrounds. I do not believe that the Lib Dem policies represent the interests of the community in my ward and, by joining Labour, I can add my voice to their call for changes in Council policies.

'I have great respect for the other members of the Cowley Area Committee, all of whom are Labour Councillors. I have worked particularly closely with Councillors Bob Timbs and Sajjad Malik and with former Lord Mayor Bryan Keen, who also represents Cowley Ward. I look forward to being able to strengthen the way in which we work in the Area Committee and I think we will be a very good team.

'I believe that the Prime Minister deserves support for the direction that the new Government is taking and I feel that Labour in Oxford is more in touch with the local people and works for them as a united team.'

Oxford City Council Labour Group Leader Bob Price said: 'Shah is well-known as a highly effective councillor for Cowley, and he will be made very welcome by Labour members and councillors.'

 Oxford East MP Andrew Smith said: 'I have known Shah for many years; his choice to join Labour is great news, and reflects a wider shift to Labour since Gordon Brown became Prime Minister.'

Cowley Ward Councillor Bryan Keen said: 'Shah and I already work well together on local issues, and I look forward to us being a strong team for the people of Cowley.'