Rebel councillors who launched a bitter attack on Stockton Council's Labour group have been branded "cheap politicians" by its leader.

The authority's Labour leader Bob Gibson came out fighting after receiving a letter from 11 councillors in neighbouring Thornaby.

In a widely circulated letter Thornaby councillors say the Labour hierarchy are "high-handed, arrogant, unwilling to listen, sneering, belligerent and bullying".

The damning letter, also sent to Stockton South MP Dari Taylor, called for a breakaway authority called the Communities of Ingleby, Thornaby and Yarm (CITY).

Councillor Gibson said yesterday: "They are cheap shots from cheap politicians. There is always tension that there isn't enough money being spent in one part of the borough or another, but to make an attack in this form is absolutely scandalous.

"I've been leader for 11 years but I stood completely unopposed at the last AGM, but if they want to attack me personally that is fair enough.

"But if they want to lead the people of Thornaby to a new Jerusalem they won't do it like this. They haven't even spoken to the people to get their views."

The letter bears the names of several top councillors including Cabinet member Steve Walmsley and Mayor of Thornaby Ivor Morgan.

Best value review committee chairman Martyn Ingram, and Stockton councillors Anthony Hoban, Angela Norton and Eileen Craggs are also thought to have signed up to the letter.

Six Labour Thornaby Town Councillors have also allegedly added their names - Ivor Morgan, Ken Craggs, Beryl Robinson, Mick Moore, Ray Godwin and Dave Kennington.

The letter reads: "How can we trust a leadership which evidently makes clandestine decisions in the confines of the penthouse offices in Church Road, before driving them through an impotent Labour group.

"We, the elected representative of Thornaby-on-Tees, have gauged the mood within our town by actually listening to the people, have decided that perhaps an elected mayor model of local government should be pursued prior to petitioning the government about restoring our proud heritage."

The letter ha been passed on to the party's regional office and to the chair and executive of the Stockton Labour group. The group's chief whip Kath Nelson is now considering the actions of the rebel councillors.