Plans to make city council leader Mike Whitby Mayor of Birmingham without an election are unfair and “anti-democratic”, opposition MPs have claimed.

Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles came under fire over plans to turn the leaders of England’s largest local authorities, including Birmingham and Coventry, into mayors.

They will be known as “shadow mayors” and enjoy the same powers as mayors who have actually been elected in other towns and cities.

Birmingham will hold a referendum on whether it wants a mayor in 2012. If the answer is “yes”, then elections for a mayor will be held in 2013 - but the council leader Coun Whitby (Con Harborne) will do the job until then.

Labour’s shadow Local Government Secretary Caroline Flint said the proposals would give council leaders an unfair advantage when the elections were held.

Speaking in the House of Commons, she said: “How democratic is it for the Secretary of State to appoint a shadow mayor ahead of a referendum for local people?

“Would not such a person have an advantage when standing for mayor? It cannot be right or democratic for the leader of whatever party it might be to have such an advantage in a mayoral election.”