A serving Conservative councillor has criticised one of Swindon’s MPs.

After South Swindon MP Robert Buckland announced on Friday that he had withdrawn support from Rishi Sunak in the Conservative leadership campaign and was now backing the apparent front runner Liz Truss, councillor Jonathon Seed took issue.

He responded to a tweet by BBC politics reporter Dan O’Brien which said: “Less than a month ago, when like most Wilts MPs he supported Sunak, Robert said: "The priority for our country now has to be the fight against inflation.

"We can’t risk steep rises in interest rates and we shouldn’t borrow more than we can afford. Basic Conservatism.””

Coun Seed said: “I know from personal experience that Robert puts his personal ambition before principles.

“Can he not see that commitment, even to a loser, is better than crawling mid-campaign to a winner? Why would a PM give a job to such an unreliable chameleon?”

Coun Seed has not responded to an invitation to expand on his comments or to give more details of his personal experience.

Mr Buckland has also declined to respond.

Pollsters have Foreign Secretary Liz Truss significantly ahead in the battle to replace Boris Johnson as Conservative party leader and therefore Prime Minister.

A result will be known by early September.