NEWPORT’S Conservative group walked out of a full council meeting en masse tonight.

The group asked no questions of the leader or cabinet members during the meeting's question and answer session for the leader.

Opposition members are still angry over changes to full council, made after May's election, which mean questions must be submitted in writing four days in advance and cannot be said off-the-cuff at the meeting.

However Labour cabinet member Mark Whitcutt said there were a series of items on the agenda where there was completely open debate and accused the Tories of being politically bankrupt.

Of the six questions asked to the leader and cabinet members, all were from the Labour group's own members.

Members left after Labour leader Councillor Bob Bright, answering a question on the new fairness commission, called a Tory attempt during the meeting to introduce a new selection process for the commission’s chairman a “charade”.

The attempt had been defeated and the commission's chairman Professor Steve Smith nomination was endorsed by council.

Tory councillors, who left during the Q&A session at the end of the meeting, accused the leader Bob Bright of grandstanding and say they don’t have a right to reply.

Howeever Councllor Bright himself said he had never left a meeting in his whole political career.

The Argus covered the full council meeting for the first time on Twitter and in a live blog on this website.

You can read how the meeting unfolded below.