Two Conservative councillors who defected to UKIP should resign, according to members of Merton's Green Party who have launched a petition in a bid to force a byelection.

Councillor Suzanne Evans, for Hillside, and Councillor Richard Hilton, for Lower Morden, shocked councillors by resigning at the council’s annual mayor-making meeting on Wednesday, May 15, and later defecting to UKIP.

Dominik Leeson, spokesman for the Merton Green Party, said: "We are aware that a byelection might not be called because there is going to be an election next year, but want to show councillors that quite frankly their decision was disgusting on residents.

"They had no democratic mandate to do that.

"I think a lot people will sign it, not because they don’t support UKIP, but because it should be our decision what party represents us."

He added: "To join a new group is to change the playing cards you put forward when you stood in the last election."

Councillor Rod Scott and Councillor Linda Scott also resigned from the party, later followed by Councillor Chris Edge and Councillor Richard Chellew, who are now independent councillors.

If the Green Party can prove more than 20 percent of the electorate in Hillside or Lower Morden oppose their councillors representing them as UKIP, a byelection would be called at an estimated cost of £16,000 to £20,000.

Since their dramatic resignation and subsequent defection, Coun Evans and Coun Hilton have appeared on several national TV and radio shows.

Responding to criticism that their resignation was merely a publicity stunt, Coun Evans, now leader of the Merton UK Independence Party (UKIP), said they had no idea the level of attention their actions would attract. She said: "Obviously we wanted some publicity but the amount we have had has surprised me.

"It’s not a publicity stunt - I did it for honourable reasons."