FURIOUS Liberal Democrats are calling on the district auditor to investigate Pendle council's standards committee.

The angry councillors have accused it of acting as a kangaroo court to pillory two of their members.

The committee last week called in police to investigate cases against LibDem councillors David Whipp -- accused of threatening physical violence against Labour leader Azhar Ali -- and Coun Sabbir Ahmed, who voted for a move to bring millions of pounds of regeneration cash to an area where he had a house and failed to declare his interest.

But now Pendle LibDem chairman Tim Haigh has accused Labour and Tory councillors of ganging up to act as complainant, prosecuting counsel, judge, jury and executioner in a procedure which he says is abhorrent to the principles of English justice. He said: "Council officers cannot escape some blame for allowing this to take place and that is why an outside investigation into this scandalous conduct is required."

Former councillor Mr Haigh said he was unhappy that the standards committee meeting was held during local election time so as to attack a candidate and to besmirch others.

He added: "Pendle council must suspend this squalid, unjust farce, nullify all its tainted decisions and expunge them from the public record."

The LibDems boycotted last week's meeting, which decided Coun Whipp had threatened violence, called on police to investigate, told the LibDems to bar him from committee meetings for six months and called on him to apologise to Coun Ali. Coun Whipp denied the charge against him, claiming his warning of "I'll have you outside" during a heated council debate meant he would take legal action.

The standards committee also asked for a police investigation into Coun Ahmed's conduct, which he said had resulted from a misunderstanding.