DONCASTER'S elected mayor Martin Winter is set for a shock split from the Labour Party after announcing plans to create his own political group.
Now senior Labour officials have given Mr Winter and two of his senior colleagues an ultimatum to either reverse their decision or be kicked out of the party.
Mr Winter along with councillors Eva Hughes and Stuart Exelby are understood to have me
t with the council's managing director Paul Hart and registered themselves as 'the Labour group' - without the knowledge of the rest of the party.
The move prompted furious regional Labour officials to set a deadline of the end of next week for Mr Winter and his two cabinet members to withdraw their intentions, otherwise they will have excluded themselves from party membership.
Other councillors believe that Mr Winter and couns Hughes and Exelby will not back down.
Mr Winter is currently in the last year of his second term as mayor. He has previously announced his intention to stand for re-election next year.
However, current Labour rules restrict candidates standing for a third term.
Before this month's local elections there was speculation Mr Winter intended to form a cross-party independent cabinet after holding talks with political rivals.
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