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ROW: MP Helen Goodman launching the petition last month, below, Dorothy Burn

POLITICIANS opposing post office closures have clashed over who should have handed in a protest petition.

Bishop Auckland's Labour MP Helen Goodman complained to the Standards Board for England that Liberal Democrat councillor Dorothy Burn removed a petition from South Church post office, Bishop Auckland, claiming to be acting on her behalf.

Ms Goodman has been collecting signatures in the 11 threatened branches in her constituency and said the document was marked with her name.

She said yesterday she was disappointed not to have had the South Church signatures when she handed in all the petitions.

Mrs Burn, who did not know she had been reported to the Standards Board until she spoke to The Northern Echo yesterday afternoon, said she had done nothing wrong and had only sent the petition to make sure it was received in time.

She sent it to Post Office Ltd without knowing Ms Goodman wanted to present it herself.

She was angry that Ms Goodman's office had contacted the media before telling her, accusing them of playing party politics with a community campaign.

She said: "How dare they tell me what to do. I am disgusted that Helen Goodman did not ask me about this before reporting me to the Standards Board and then went straight to the press before telling me anything.

"I signed the petition with colleague Gary Henry and had encouraged many other people to sign it as well.

"As far as I was concerned it was not a political issue, we were working together for the good of the community.

"This is absolutely despicable and purely political."

Ms Goodman said yesterday that no one at her office had asked Mrs Burn to collect the petition.

She said: "I still have not received this petition and have been unable to make representations on behalf of the 330 local residents who sought to express their concern about the proposed closure of this branch.

"Regrettably, I felt I had no alternative than to report this incident to the Standards Board.

"I am amazed and disappointed that Councillor Burn has chosen to act in this way."

Councillor Tommy Taylor, Liberal Democrat leader of Wear Valley District Council, said: "This was a mean thing to do. What Dorothy has done is what any good councillor would have done. My message to Ms Goodman is that we are closer to the people than she will ever be."

The Standards Board, which regulates the conduct of councillors, said it was too soon to say if there would be an inquiry.

2:03am Saturday 29th March 2008

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