LANCASHIRE County Council’s Labour leader Jenny Mein has clashed with Tory MPs Nigel Evans and Andrew Stephenson over a letter from the authority’s chief executive Jo Turton on the ‘bedroom tax’.

Ms Turton wrote to all of Lancashire’s MPs following a full council meeting on October 2 approving a motion calling for its abolition.

Burnley Lib Dem Gordon Birtwistle has joined his Conservative colleagues in accusing County Coun Mein of drawing her top official into politics.

County Coun Mein and Blackburn Labour MP Jack Straw defended the letter as normal practice.

Ms Turton’s letter informed the MPs of the resolution and asked for the MPs’ views.

The motion said: “Lancashire County Council believes the government’s ‘bedroom tax’ is an unnecessary burden on hard-working families and is having devastating consequences on those affected by its implementation in Lancashire.”

Ribble Valley MP Mr Evans said: “It is clear that the contents of this letter from Jo Turton, the chief executive of Lancashire County Council, is overtly political.

“It appears to me that she has been sucked into party politics by the controlling party, which she should be above.”

Pendle MP Mr Stephenson said: “If Coun Mein wanted a letter written to MPs on such a political issue, she should have signed it herself.”

Coun Mein said: “She did what the motion asked without personal comment. It’s her job.”

Mr Straw said: “It is perfectly normal for a chief executive to write to MPs informing them of a council motion.

“It’s not political.”