Campbell hits back at Red Devils claim

The Clarets' highest profile fan, however, was forced to admit that he had been seen at United games because his eldest son is now supporting the Red Devils - much to his father's distress.

Mr Campbell was responding to claims made in a newspaper interview by Charlie Whelan, who has quit as Chancellor Gordon Brown's spin doctor. And he even claimed that Mr Whelan, a keen Spurs fan, had once been a supporter of the much less fashionable London club Millwall.

Mr Whelan denied there was a rift between him and Mr Campbell and added: "Look, we get on fine. The only thing I worry about with Alastair is he seems to have defected from Burnley to Manchester United." But Mr Campbell, in an exclusive interview with the Lancashire Evening Telegraph, from his 10 Downing Street office, said: "I am appalled and outraged. There is no truth in it whatsoever. Its simply mischief making.

"What is true is that the elder of my two sons has defected from Burnley to Manchester United.

"As you can imagine this is causing considerable grief to me. However, there is nothing I can do about it.

"The other son is still a Burnley fan and we go to games frequently together, and my eldest son does come with us. However, because the eldest son is a Manchester United fan, I have gone with him to some Manchester United games. It wouldn't be fair not to."

Referring to Mr Blair's third way between state socialism and Tory free market economics, Mr Campbell said: "My allegiance to Burnley is long-standing and very deep. There is no third way here.

"I think it is important however, to nip such rumours in the bud.

"In the same way I am sure Charlie would want to squash suggestions that he used to be a Millwall fan and transferred his allegiance to Spurs because they were more fashionable."

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