LABOUR activists in Colchester claim the historic deal between Conservative and Lib Dem MPs will cause a slump in support for town MP Bob Russell.

The Conservatives’ 306 MPs have joined forces with 57 Lib Dem MPs to run the country.

Last week 22,151 people voted for Lib Dem Mr Russell to get a fourth term as the MP for Colchester constituency.

Conservative Will Quince came in second, with 15,169 votes, while Labour candidate Jordan Newell finished a distant third with 5,680 votes.

But Mr Newell claimed many Colchester residents had supported Mr Russell as a tactical vote to keep the Conservatives out of power.

With the Lib Dems now backing Conservatives nationally, Labour activists say thousands of “progressive” Lib Dems nationwide were joining Labour.

Mr Newell said: “We suffered at the hands of tactical voting, but I understood that.

“People were telling us that on the doorstep. Now these people will feel betrayed, because they voted to keep the Tories out.”

Kevin Bentley, leader of Colchester Council’s Conservatives, claimed the next election, which may be later this year if the coalition breaks down, could become a three-horse race in Colchester, as it was when Mr Russell first won power in 1997.

But Mr Russell himself said he had received hundreds of e-mails and letters in the past few days, with the majority urging the Lib Dems not to form an alliance with Labour and a handful of minor parties.

Asked if he thought some of his voters would support Labour next time round, he replied: “I think it’s inevitable, but the e-mail messages I was getting said more people were aghast at the concept of Lib Dems going into coalition with the defeated Labour government.

“I have spent 40 years fighting the Tories, so it was with gritted teeth I agreed to the coalition – but it had to be done, in the national interest.

“The only other alternative was a minority Tory Government with a further general election likely this autumn, something which I do not think the public would have welcomed.”

Locally, the finishing touches were yesterday being put to the coalition of Lib Dem, Labour and independent councillors which is expected to continue to run Colchester Council.

This is despite the call by Colchester Council’s Labour group leader Tim Young for Lib Dems in Colchester who want to join “our progressive, left of centre, anti-Tory party” to get in touch.

Lib Dem group leader Martin Hunt said he was happy to work with Labour councillors. He said: “There might be a small element who feel they should leave the Lib Dems, but I can see no reason why they should join Labour.”