REBEL local Labour MPs joined a revolt against moves to sack two outspoken critics of the Government from the chairmanships of influential Commons committees.

Bolton South-east MP Dr Brian Iddon, Bury North's David Chaytor and Worsley representative Terry Lewis were among 118 Labour MPs who opposed plans to eject Donald Anderson from the foreign affairs select committee.

They were joined by David Crausby, MP for Bolton North-east, in voting down the removal of Gwyneth Dunwoody from the transport committee. Some 124 Labour MPs joined the opposition to that proposal. Although technically a free vote, the result was seen as Prime Minister Tony Blair's first Commons defeat since coming to power in 1997 and a massive rebuff from MPs who resent the leadership's alleged "control freakery".

The scale of the revolt, coming so soon after Labour's June 7 election landslide, took both ministers and rebels by surprise.

Chief Whip Hilary Armstrong immediately promised to draw up new lists restoring both Mrs Dunwoody and Mr Anderson to their respective committees.

MPs will have the chance to vote on the new lists on Thursday before they break up for the summer recess.

A jubilant Mr Anderson last night hailed the result as a "great day for Parliament" and warned ministers they would be "very, very unwise" to ignore the new mood among MPs.

"I hope the whips will have learned a lesson from this. It really is a peasants' revolt," he said.

"Parliament said, in effect, to the Government: 'With all your majority you cannot ride roughshod over us.'"

Former Commons speaker Betty Boothroyd welcomed the rebellion.

She said: "What has happened is absolutely splendid. I am rejoicing for those members who had the courage to take the situation into their own hands and do something about it.

"This is the beginning of real reform. It is a Parliament which has now taken control of itself and I am delighted."