BLACKBURN Council housing boss Coun Sue Reid has hit back at accusations from Tory ex-minister Alan Clark.

Mr Clark took the council to task for asking people applying for home improvement grants about any polygamous marriage partners they may have.

Writing in the News of the World, he said it was a "perfect example of the kind of squeeze to which decent people are being subjected".

But Coun Reid, chairman of the borough's housing committee, blasted the writer for not doing his homework.

"Mr Clark has endeavoured to paint Blackburn Labour councillors as deviants, out to create an atmosphere where, in his words 'society disintegrates one stage further'.

"In actual fact, the council is merely following the criteria laid down in the Housing Renovations Grants Regulations 1990 and 1994.

"The regulations make specific mention of polygamous marriages, as do those relating to housing benefit.

"Mr Clark comments about those 'who put these crazy rules in place'. Well he should know, it was his government who implemented them".

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