TWO senior Liberal Democrats last night called on the party's leader in Liverpool to resign after losing control of the city council to Labour last week.

Cllrs Richard Kemp and Paul Clein called on Warren Bradley to step aside and let someone else lead the party into opposition as the party starts the process of rebuilding.

The pair launched a failed challenge on Cllr Bradley's leadership in 2008 after the Lib-Dems narrowly hung on to control of the council.

Cllr Kemp said he was ruling himself out this time, and Cllr Clein said he had no plans to stand against Cllr Bradley.

The pair said a new leader was required and their intervention is likely to ratchet up the pressure on Cllr Bradley.

The first blow against the leader was delivered by former city councillor Richard Marbrow at the weekend when he said the election defeat had been a referendum on Cllr Bradley's leadership.

It is understood that a supporter of Cllr Bradley called round numerous councillors at the weekend to gauge how many would continue to endorse his leadership.

Cllr Kemp, who leads the party's group on the Local Government Association, said: "I think there are people that would like a change of direction, but perhaps like myself they are not prepared to do it.

"I think my generation needs to hand over to a new [younger] generation.

"There are people like Paul Twigger . . . "

As a loyal supporter of the leader, it is unlikely Cllr Twigger would challenge Cllr Bradley.