'Hyndburngate' spying allegations

At Hyndburn’s full council meeting leader Coun Peter Britcliffe accused the Labour group of behaving 'like the Richard Nixon administration', claiming documents were being searched during ‘internal break-ins’.

However the Labour group said the allegations were 'completely unfounded'.

But Coun Britcliffe said extra CCTV cameras were to be installed at the council’s Scaitcliffe house offices as a result.

At the meeting Coun Britcliffe said: “There have been internal break-ins in which councillors have been snooping up and down looking at letters.

"We do know that one Labour councillor was found at the back of somebody’s computer in the MD’s suite. They were also seen in the leader’s room looking through materials there.

“I believe also that some person was found looking through the leader’s and MD’s letters in the last fortnight.

"There is honour amongst thieves but not amongst Labour politicians on this council, clearly.

"This is what I mean when I say he and his cronies carry on like Richard Nixon’s administration.”

Speaking after the meeting, opposition leader Graham Jones said: “Hearing the allegations at full council was the first any of us had heard about this and it is completely unfounded.

"I would simply say, where is the proof behind these allegations? The Conservatives wonder how we are so well informed sometimes, but the truth is they leave a lot of materials which relate to the public interest lying around the building and on the photocopier.”

However Coun Britcliffe said he stood by his allegations and that he had requested CCTV to be installed outside his offices.

He said: “It’s a sad state of affairs but I want to prevent it happening in future. It’s like Hyndburngate.

"I haven’t asked for a full investigation - yet - because we are still discussing how to proceed.

"The Conservative group will be meeting to decide whether to handle this internally or to contact the Standards board.”