The Liberal Democrat mayor of Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council has defected to Labour taking her councillor husband with her.

The shock defection follows David Cameron’s comments about benefit payments for cancer sufferers at Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons.

Lib Dem councillor Joyce Underhill and her husband Cllr Tony Underhill, who is himself suffering from cancer, resigned in disgust from the Liberal Democrats and join the Labour party.

Joyce Underhill said: “But we felt a line was crossed when David Cameron seemed to have no idea of the impact of his own policies on cancer sufferers when he was speaking in the House of Commons yesterday. I could not believe the Prime Minister was so dismissive of an issue of this much importance.”

Tony Underhill added, “As someone who is suffering from cancer it seemed to me an insulting and crass position. My wife and I have therefore decided to leave the Liberal Democrats and join Labour in Sandwell. ”