LABOUR will take back the leadership of Wirral council next week – after the Lib-Dems decided to end their coalition with the Tories.

The Lib-Dem group last night signalled the end of their power-sharing deal in the borough by deciding to abstain in a vote of no confidence next week.

Labour had called the vote in a bid to oust the Tory council leader Jeff Green after they became the largest party following the local elections.

However, they need either the outright support of the Lib-Dems – down to nine seats after poor election results and a defection – or for the smallest party to abstain.

After a group meeting on Tuesday night the other parties had been waiting to hear how the Lib-Dems, who effectively hold the balance of power, would vote. Steve Foulkes, leader of the Labour group, said he believed the Lib-Dems’ announcement meant they had “taken note of what the electorate said” and Labour’s plans “would have to appeal to one of the other groups”.

Although he insisted nothing was final until the vote next Monday night, he said if he is made leader of the council he would like “to take the other two parties forward with me”.

He said he understood the “difficult decision” facing the Lib-Dems, many of whom he “considers friends”.

Last night Tory leader Jeff Green said he was not surprised at the decision and said the Lib-Dems were “still reeling” after the elections which saw them lose several key councillors, including their former leader Simon Holbrook.

Cllr Green said: “They have clearly forgotten what happened last time they backed Labour in Wirral, with libraries, lollipop people and leisure centres facing the axe.”