BURY MP David Chaytor joined a revolt against Government plans to oust critics in its own ranks.

The Labour backbencher, who has rebelled against his party on several occasions, wasted no time in notching up his first protest of the new Parliament.

He was one of 124 Labour MPs who voted against moves to sack two outspoken critics of the Government from their positions as chairmen of influential Commons committees.

It was technically a "free" vote, but the result is seen as Labour's first defeat in office, and that backbenchers are unhappy with Government "control freakery".

Commons leaders have now promised to review the way in which select committees are appointed.

Mr Chaytor, Bury North MP, described the vote as "a very good day for Parliamentary democracy".

"Voting about places on select committees seems a fairly minor issue, but this is of great importance to our democracy," he said. "Throughout the last Parliament there has been a heated debate down here about the way in which select committees were appointed. More people were calling for an end to the system where the whips chose and kicked people off these committees."

Mr Chaytor said that the two committee chairmen had been excellent, and produced a series of critical reports.

"It is unacceptable that people should be sacked because they have done a good job in scrutinising the Government: they should be rewarded!" he said.

The Labour backbencher agreed that MPs had shown they would not be treated as mere voting fodder, although he denied that Tony Blair and his colleagues were "control freaks".

"I don't think this Government is any different than any other in the last 100 years in its attitude to maintaining control," he said. "However, there has to be a balance between keeping control and allowing freedom of expression and ensuring strong scrutiny."