AN investigation into allegations of ‘extremist infiltration’ by Islamic fundamentalists at three Pendle primary schools has revealed no evidence to support such claims, county councillors have been told.

But the issue, raised at a Lancashire County Council forum debating the ‘Trojan Horse’ educational crisis in Birmingham, has ignited a furious political row between senior Labour county councillors and the borough’s Conservative MP.

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County councillor Mohammed Iqbal told the meeting that Pendle MP Andrew Stephenson had raised concerns regarding suspicions of a ‘Trojan Horse’ style plot, where governing bodies of schools are targeted by extremist Islamic elements, with county council chief executive Jo Turton.

The Nelson North and Brierfield representative accused Mr Stephenson of failing to contact the headteachers of the three schools concerned and attempting to ‘discredit the pupils’ of the three schools.

Coun Azhar Ali (Nelson South) said the Birmingham scandal had arose during a Tory administration which treated the member of some inner-city wards ‘like lepers’.

He said: “This is another case where we are dealing with political points scoring rather than dealing with the protection of young people.”

But Mr Stephenson has insisted he contacted the chief executive after concerns were raised with him by an Asian-heritage constituent, who wished to remain anonymous for fear of reprisals from within his own community.

The MP, who is a governor at one of the three schools, which have not been officially named, said he stressed to the constituent that he did not share his views but agreed to raise the matter with the county council on his behalf.

He said: “For county councillors to misrepresent what I have done and claim that these are my views and publicly criticise me is disgusting.”

The MP said he would now need to consider, if similar allegations were raised again, whether he should involve education watchdog Ofsted or government ministers, after his private correspondence with the county council had been leaked for ‘cheap political points scoring’.

The earlier county council meeting had heard Coun Matthew Tomlinson, education cabinet member, issue a ‘position statement’, confirming there had been no cases of extremist infiltration in Lancashire schools, after a motion was lodged by former county council leader Geoff Driver, calling for a countywide review.