DARWEN’S new mayor has launched a furious attack on one of his Liberal Democrat allies, accusing him of being ‘negative about everything’ in the town.

Now Coun Paul Browne, who came to the verge of quitting the Lib Dems two years ago, has demanded a showdown meeting with party bosses.

The Sudell councillor claimed a rift had developed between Lib Dems sitting on the borough and town councils.

Coun Browne, who was last week sworn in as Darwen’s new town council mayor, said he was furious at comments by fellow Sudell Liberal Democrat Roy Davies about the ceremony held after the event.

Coun Davies had claimed Darwen residents “were not interested” in the ceremony, which he said was dominated by members of the For Darwen Party, which holds most of the seats on the town council. But Coun Browne said: “I am disgusted with him. He has been negative about the town council ever since it was formed and he is doing no favours to the Liberal Democrat group.

“If he doesn’t want it, tell him to stand down and make way for someone who does. He needs to put up or shut up.”

Coun Davies, who was also elected to the town council in June, said he was always available to discuss his colleague’s concerns.

He said: “To be quite honest, he keeps threatening to leave, and if he wants to go, there’s nothing I can do about it. Nothing is ever right for him. If he doesn’t like something he will get up and walk out.

“I am not being negative about Darwen, but they outnumber us on the council and we never get consulted about anything.”

The Liberal and For Darwen parties are allies on the borough council where they form part of the ruling coalition with the Conservative group.