AN MP has accused a political rival of racism by referring to her birthplace in Northern Ireland in a leaflet to electors.

Durham City MP Labour MP Roberta Blackman-Woods MP has written to Liberal Democrat leader Menzies Campbell asking if he supports the comment by Carol Woods, the party's parliamentary candidate, in the Focus newsletter produced by local Liberal Democrats who control the city council and distributed to thousands of homes.

It contains an article about the decision to establish a unitary council in County Durham - opposed by the city council and other districts but supported by Durham County Council and Belfast-born Dr Blackman-Woods.

Ms Woods says: "Durham City's New labour MP was born and bred in Belfast and it is clear she is out of touch with the views of local people.'' She also urges people to sign a petition against a unitary authority "to show those outsiders who threaten our jobs and services that we are not prepared to give up without a fight.'' Dr Blackman-Woods said: "The Lib Dems have offended anyone who fell in love with Durham as a student or adult and chose to make it their home, by branding them as 'outsiders'.

"Thinly-veiled racist remarks like that are unacceptable and I am frankly shocked that the Lib Dems would resort to such tactics which are typically the domain of the British National Party.'' Ms Mariom Khan-Willis, the chairwoman of the Darlington and Durham Racial Equality Council, said: "Councillor Woods is criticising the MP, not for her stance on a particular issue, which would, of course, be perfectly acceptable political campaigning, but because she was born in Belfast.'' She added that she found the use of the word outsiders was even more insidious as it was "employed here to whip up racial tensions''.

But Ms Woods, who is also deputy leader of the city council, said : "It is obviously not racist.

"It is a bit like the row over the Fat Buddha'' - a reference to the publicised claim by a city council officer that a new Oriental restaurant of that name could offend Buddhists, a view rejected by Buddhists themselves.

"She has intentionally misinterpreted what I said. It is laughable. It was to make the point that she did not come from Durham and didn't appear to be interested in the issues affecting Durham - she could easily have been from Birmingham or London.''