The former drummer with Britpop band Blur has failed to become a London councillor.

Dave Rowntree was beaten after a 14.1 per cent swing to the Tories in a Westminster City Council by-election.

Dave Rowntree has been an animator as well as training to become a barrister since the band made their last album in 2003.

Blur shot to fame in the 1990s when they went head-to-head in a UK chart battle with fellow Britpop band Oasis.

They have also achieved mainstream success with their their albums Parklife, Modern Life Is Rubbish and The Great Escape.

Since the recording of their seventh album Think Tank the band members, Damon Albarn, Graham Coxon and Alex james have all been working on separate projects.