Darlington MP Alan Milburn was forced to defend his marginal seat against a possible influx of Tory votes at a public inquiry this week.

Conservatives told the Boundary Commission meeting that they wanted to give Darlington's rural villages a stronger voice by moving them out of the Prime Minister's neighbouring Sedgefield constituency and into the Darlington seat of his Cabinet colleague, the Health Secretary.

Heighington, Coniscliffe, Hurworth, Middleton St George, Sadberge and Whessoe are all held by Tories on the borough council.

Mr Milburn said he dealt mainly with urban issues such as housing, social security and crime. A change could mean rural issues playing second fiddle to urban ones and there could be a conflict of interests.

"One of the longest-running sores I have had to deal with in my time as Darlington's MP has been the location of the cattle market," he said.

Mr Blair wrote: "The proposals would needlessly create a domino effect in which a succession of communities, large and small, would lose well-established links and relationships to provide Darlington with 10,000 more electors than its neighbours."

Residents from the villages backed their councillors on the grounds that they paid council tax to Darlington, which provided all their services.

Howard Steel, of Low Coniscliffe, said: "We feel no affinity whatsoever with Sedgefield. It is about 35 miles away and we are just a stone's throw from Darlington."

Neighbour Robert Mitten said at the last election there was no canvassing in Low Coniscliffe by any party.

"Because we are on the edge, they don't even bother with us."

Coun Gerald Lee of Heighington said moving into the Darlington constituency was common sense and claimed residents felt disenfranchised because of the lack of support from the Sedgefield MP.

He denied his real motive was to increase the Tories' political clout by upsetting the present equilibrium in Darlington.

"This situation can only be advantageous to the rural wards as the MP, irrespective of party, will have to support us - something that does not happen at this time."

Coun Eric Roberts of Whessoe said the Boundary Commission's own recommendations would mean splitting Archdeacon Newton between Coniscliffe and Heighington, in Sedgefield, and Faverdale.

Whessoe would be split between Sadberge and Harrowgate Hill.

Middleton St George Parish Council chairman, Coun Brian Jones, and his wife, Doris - Mayor of Darlington - said the present set-up simply caused confusion to people who had supported the borough in its bid for unitary status because they wanted to belong to Darlington, not County Durham.

But Eamon Farrar, head teacher at Hurworth Comprehensive School, said he wanted to stay the same.

"During the past seven years we have built up a reputation for excellent success against a background of support from Sedgefield," he added.

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