A Labour councillor who branded a £1,000 pay rise "immoral'' has been charged with bringing the party into disrepute.

But Durham county councillor Paul Trippett, a friend and staunch supporter of Sedgefield MP and Prime Minister Tony Blair, says he is heartened by the support local activists and constituents are giving him.

The Trimdon councillor is to lodge his appeal against the half-year suspension with the regional party on Monday.

As The Northern Echo exclusively revealed yesterday, Coun Trippett, one of five people who nominated Tony Blair for the Sedgefield seat in 1983, has been suspended by Durham County Council's Labour group for publicly criticising the 13.8 per cent rise in councillors' allowances.

The avowed Blairite and his Coundon colleague Phil Graham said the increase, recommended by a panel set up by the council, was "immoral" when the council was proposing closing old people's homes and schools.

Coun Graham had no action taken against him, but Coun Trippett, who manages Trimdon Labour Club, was barred from the Labour group for six months.

After receiving a letter outlining the charge against him, he said: "I'll argue the council's case, if it is right. I'll argue for what we are doing with schools and OAP homes, because I believe in them. But we need people on our side and giving yourself a whopping pay rise alienates people.''

Coun Trippett pledged to give his extra money to local environmental projects.

Labour group secretary Albert Nugent declined to comment.