BRIDGWATER Labour Party has said it is "stunned and saddened by the sudden and unexpected resignation" of their leader in Sedgemoor and former mayor, Cllr Diogo Rodrigues.

The surprising news was delivered to the party on Friday afternoon (July 5) before being broken on to the public on social media, Cllr Rodrigues' blog, and on Bridgwater Mercury.

Bridgwater Labour Party members and councillors said they will meet on Wednesday to "discuss the crisis brought about by their former colleague", and to elect a new leader.

RELATED: Shock resignation from Labour's leader in Sedgemoor and ex-mayor

Labour’s Deputy Leader, Cllr Brian Smedley said: “This resignation came as a bolt out of the blue and appeared on my ‘messenger’ at 1.30 on Friday afternoon.

"It was so unbelievable I assumed it was a joke and had to check he hadn’t been hacked. I was astounded that it was genuine, and obviously immediately tried to talk him out of it, but his mind had been made up.

"In fact he’d already gone to the press and informed the council’s officers that he would now continue as a councillor but as an independent."

In May of this year, he fought for the Dunwear ward on Sedgemoor District Council for Labour, which he won alongside new councillor Alexia Bartlett, ousting the sitting UKIP candidate.

Diogo and Alexia Bartlett had fought together to win Dunwear ward and Alexia said she was “saddened” at Cllr Rodrigues' resignation.

Cllr Smedley added: "I informed Labour colleagues who were naturally astounded by the news particularly as we’d all just fought an election campaign together alongside him, and we knew that ordinary members of the party who had leafleted and canvassed on his behalf would feel disappointed to say the least.

"However, the point of a Labour Party is to provide organisation to local government and to bring change to society against a very well organised ruling Conservative Party.

"That’s why we need political parties. Without that unity we are nothing and so we will simply close ranks, lick our wounds and carry on the struggle.

"We put a manifesto to the people, we all stood on that and we are now delivering it even in the face of this devastating blow.”

Cllr Rodrigues moved to the Bridgwater area in 2015 and joined the local party, immediately being quickly selected to fill a last minute vacancy in Dunwear North ward, which he won.

Four years later he was nominated to be the town’s mayor - a ceremonial post voted in by the 16 town councillors, 14 of whom were Labour. During his time as Bridgwater’s youngest ever mayor, he launched many initiatives including a massive personal social media presence and rapidly increased his own following along with that of his party.

In May of this year, he fought for the Dunwear ward on Sedgemoor District Council for Labour, which he won alongside new councillor Alexia Bartlett, ousting the sitting UKIP candidate.

Diogo and Alexia Bartlett had fought together to win Dunwear ward and Alexia said she was “saddened” at Cllr Rodrigues' resignation.

He also stood for Labour in the Fairfax East ward on town council which he also won.

With Labour keeping control of the town council, Diogo was made the cabinet member for youth and was elected by his fellow members onto the town council’s executive committee.

On Sedgemoor District Council, Labour members elected Diogo to the paid position of Labour leader on Sedgemoor District Council, and therefore leader of the opposition.

Diogo had been in post for just one month and was now part of the District Council’s senior ‘Leaders Liaison group’, ‘Property Investments Board’ and had also recently attended the Local Government Association Conference in Bournemouth.

Diogo’s decision to now sit as an Independent will mean Labour committee places on Sedgemoor are reduced as the council operates on proportionality.

On Bridgwater Town Council, Cllr Rodrigues has not resign from the executive committee, and could only be replaced by a vote of councillors at 2020’s annual meeting, should the members wish to do that.

Cllr Smedley said: “Diogo is a passionate and committed young activist and we recognised this immediately and naturally encouraged him because that’s what we do and that’s important.

"You have to trust people. He did some great work as a Labour councillor – but it wasn’t on his own, it was part of a team.

"Lots of people put in a lot of time to help him realise his ideas.

"In terms of the mayoralty he definitely did a brilliant job bringing it into the 21st century, and in terms of youth work he was an excellent advocate for empowering young people.

"But he couldn’t do that on his own. He had the support of the rest of the councillors, and because the Labour Party was in power locally we made that happen.

"Regarding his reasons, he is not alone in being disillusioned with the state of British politics, but you don’t change things by running away, you stay and fight."