AN UNDER-FIRE local MP has accused top councillors of trying to create division in the borough.

Virendra Sharma, the MP for Ealing-Southall, has accused the leader of Ealing Council, Councillor Jason Stacey, of creating an east-west divide by selling off community assets in Southall and investing the money in Ealing.

The council recently approved the sale of a row of shops in Southall for several million pounds, and is also in the process of selling off the Southall Community Centre in Merrick Road.

Mr Sharma said: "Cllr Stacey wrote to me in October of last year, stating that the proceeds from the sale of the shops in Southall has gone into a central capital receipts fund.

"Having watched his cabinet in operation since then I am firmly of the view that the Tories are working hard to create an east-west divide in the borough.

"The Tories have sold off local community assets in Southall, and diverted this income into bailing out projects to benefit their own areas in Greenford and the east of the borough.

"Southall deserves better community facilities and the Tories should stop selling off its assets and make a real effort to invest in Southall's future."

The attack comes in the wake of Conservative leader Cllr Stacey calling for the Labour MP to resign his seat on the council because he has not been attending meetings.