Controversial nominations of two former Lib Dem councillors - both linked with disgraced former MP - to be city's honorary alderwomen are withdrawn

Jacqui Hancock and Margaret Foster had been put forward alongside Frank Jonas, Donna Jones and Rob Wood but the decision was reversed shortly before Tuesday's extraordinary meeting of Portsmouth City Council had been due to start.

Conservative, Labour and Portsmouth Independents Party councillors were all set to vote against the nominations due to their links with disgraced former Lib Dem MP and city councillor Mike Hancock.

To pass, aldermen nominations require the support of two-thirds of councillors making it unlikely they would have won enough support, prompting the withdrawal of their nominations.

Councillor Cal Corkery, the leader of the Labour group, said they would have opposed the appointment of both. It is understood Conservative councillors were also prepared to vote against their nominations.

Portsmouth Independents Party leader George Madgwick said his councillors would have voted against the nomination of Jacqui Hancock and abstained from the vote on Margaret Foster.

As honorary alderwomen, they would have been entitled to seats at meetings of the city council.

Mrs Hancock is the wife of the former MP Mr Hancock who in 2014 was suspended from the national Lib Dem party after a review of a city council-commissioned report which found 'prima facie evidence of his unwelcome sexual approaches' to a constituent known as Annie who has been given lifelong anonymity.

In the same year Mike Hancock issued an apology to Annie as part of a high court settlement.

'I understand that you felt degraded,' it said. 'I did not treat you with sufficient respect. I made you feel deeply uncomfortable and discriminated against.'

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Mrs Foster, a close friend of Jacqui Hancock, was accused of 'intimidating' Annie by filming her at a council meeting.

A standards sub-committee convened in response to a complaint about her conduct ruled she had behaved 'disrespectfully' and ordered a full apology to be given.

'I am...very sorry that this happened and in particular for any distress I may have caused you and hope this letter may go someway to making amends,' her written apology said.

Both of the former councillors lost their seats in elections in 2014 and 2016. Neither has since restood.