Sajjad Malik has thrown Oxford City Council's ruling Liberal Democrat group into chaos after becoming the second councillor to quit the party in six weeks.

Mr Malik was until yesterday a Lib Dem councillor for Cowley Marsh, but has now crossed the floor to join the Labour Party.

And he cited infighting, the shelving of Oxford's so-called 'recycling revolution' scheme and the group's lack of commitment towards building more homes on the edge of the city near Greater Leys as reasons for his political switch.

His defection comes just weeks after high-profile councillor Paul Sargent left to become an independent councillor and the impact could be significant.

The Lib Dems took control of the city council from Labour after the local elections in May. Both groups now have 17 councillors, the Greens eight and the Independent Working Class Association four.

There is one independent and one vacant seat, after Hinksey Park ward councillor Rick Muir resigned.

Mr Malik's defection could mean membership of the decision-making executive is revised, although it is understood Labour will not attempt to resume control.

The father-of-two, 38, who was elected in 2004, said: "I don't owe them anything, they owe me everything I am the man who made them alive in East Oxford. They were dead and buried before I joined them.

"I have been shocked by the way in which the Lib Dem minority administration has quickly turned their back on the city council's commitment to build much needed affordable homes in an urban expansion and on the agreed scheme for recycling plastics and green waste. I believe these new Lib Dem policies do not represent the interests of the community in my ward and I will continue to oppose them strongly from within the Labour group."

Mr Malik was originally a Labour member before joining the Lib Dems.

Lib Dem group leader John Goddard said: "I haven't spoken to Saj, he hasn't spoken to me."

Nationally, Shaun Woodward was elected as a Conservative MP for Witney at the 1997 election, but later defected to Labour.

And in Wantage, former MP Robert Jackson switched to Labour before retiring at last year's General Election. The seat is now held by Tory MP Ed Vaizey.