A double by-election in the New Year after two councillors in one ward quit to become parliamentary candidates is being targeted by Labour.

Conservative district cllrs Seema Kennedy and Heidi Allen have both resigned their seats in Marshalswick South ward because they have been selected as Tory prospective parliamentary candidates for South Ribble and South East Cambs respectively.

The local Labour Party had demanded the resignation of Cllr Kennedy when she was selected as a parliamentary candidate just 40 days after being elected as a councillor for the ward in May.

Subsequently Cllr Allen, who was elected in 2012, also resigned leaving just one councillor representing the ward.

A by-election has now been called for the two seats on Thursday, January 29.

Labour came second with the Lib-Dems third in Marshalswick South in the May election and should the Conservatives lose one of the two seats, they would no longer command a majority in the council chamber.

Deputy group leader, Cllr Jacob Quagliozzi, said: “Almost six months after Labour demanded a by-election be held in Marshalswick South, one has now been called and residents are a little closer to having councillors fully focused on representing their concerns at the town hall.”

He pledged that his group would fight the by-election. “street by street, door by door”.