LABOUR councillors have challenged council leader Vivien Pengelly to give her members a free vote in today's council meeting to decide the fate of Plymouth Citybus.

The full council was to decide this afternoon whether to accept the £20.2million bid from Go-Ahead to buy Citybus.

If they agree, the deal is expected to be signed later this week.

Devonport Labour councillor Mark Lowry said party leader Tudor Evans had agreed to give his members a free vote.

Mr Lowry called on the Conservatives to follow suit. He said the issue was too important to be decided on the party whip.

"Each and every councillor will be affected differently by the outcome of this vote.

"When Vivien Pengelly got elected she said she would listen. She should listen to her own councillors now."

Mrs Pengelly said: "I've got my group fully behind me on the Citybus issue. There is no need to have a free vote.

"The Labour Party – including the two Labour MPs – are trying every trick in the book to score political points. There's no valid reason why anyone should vote against this."