PENDLE MP Gordon Prentice has joined left-wing colleague Paul Flynn in launching a bitter attack on Labour leader Tony Blair's dictatorial style party management.

At the weekend Newport West MP Mr Flynn caused a major party row with a bitter attack on Mr Blair.

He said he was "autocratic" and was turning Labour into a pseudo Tory party.

Today Pendle MP Mr Prentice said: "I think Paul Flynn is absolutely right.

"MPs have lost control of party policy.

"Policy is now made by the leader in a series of ex-cathedra statements.

"He is going to have to learn to listen to MPs. We are not just lobby fodder.

"A lot of people are very concerned about this, and I include myself among them."

Mr Prentice hopes to speak on the issue at Wednesday's meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party and raise his concerns about the growing centralisation of power and policy making in the same forum a month ago.

Mr Prentice, born a Scot, shares Welshman Mr Flynn's anger at the way Mr Blair has imposed referenda about plans for Scottish and Welsh parliaments on the Labour party without consultation.

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