A prospective MP for Bristol is giving up local politics after he claimed around £15,000 in allowances, despite turning up to just two meetings.

Sam Townend, who Labour wants to take over from retiring Bristol North West MP Doug Naysmith, has sent a letter to Lambeth Council resigning.

It will come in to effect on Thursday and a by-election will be held to coincide with the European elections.

Opposition councillors, who raised concerns about his low attendance rate, have demanded he hands back cash to the London local authority.

They say £15,000 would cover the time he began to switch his focus to Bristol – which includes the 12-month period where he turned up to the minimum amount of meetings – following his selection as a prospective Parliamentary candidate.

Councillor Ashley Lumsden, Lambeth's Liberal Democrat group leader, said: "This shows he recognises that he could not be a Lambeth councillor while living in Bristol.

"His resignation means we can get someone who will focus on the local area in.

"But we believe Mr Townend should pay back £15,000 to cover the time he was living in and focusing on Bristol."

Mr Townend told the Post last week that he fulfilled his duties to the people who elected him in London and had received no complaints from residents.

The 34-year-old ,a practising barrister specialising in building and engineering law, lives in Henleaze.

He stood as a candidate for Reigate in 2005 and faces a tough battle against Conservative candidate Charlotte Leslie to win the Bristol seat when the general election is called in the next 12 months.

Mr Townend, Labour candidate for Bristol North West, said: ''When I was selected as Labour's candidate at the next general election for Bristol North West, I immediately stepped down as a front bench councillor in Lambeth.

''I also made the decision not to stand for election again in Lambeth, and knew that at some stage I would need to consider the appropriate time to resign to allow residents to elect a new representative.

"I believe that with the European elections in June, now is the best time for me to stand down.

''I have never ducked the responsibilities that come with my roles, either as back bench councillor or as prospective Parliamentary candidate, despite balancing work and a family life in London (where my wife's work and my current office is based) and my political campaigning work in Bristol.

"I have been trying my best to do all four things and, with my resignation as a councillor, now have three, which is still very challenging.

''It is a real privilege to be selected as the Labour candidate for Bristol North West, and I will continue to work hard for people here, as I have done for the last two years, in seeking to persuade the council not to close the local job centres in Lockleaze, Lawrence Weston and Southmead, in trying to get the Robin Cousins centre in Shirehampton back open in the teeth of local and national bureaucracies and, most importantly, persuading our elected politicians to do whatever is necessary to help people through this current recession.

''It is disappointing that instead of campaigning on issues, the Lib Dems are resorting to personal attacks."