AN anti-bullying campaign set up by supporters of a North-East teacher have criticised David Blunkett MP after failing to win backing from the education secretary.

Gill Hetherington contacted Mr Blunkett after her husband Geoff won an unfair dismissal industrial tribunal, claiming he had been mistreated by his boss. The former deputy head teacher was awarded £15,142 compensation from Darlington Borough Council earlier this year.

Mr Hetherington, 49, was sacked from Redmarshall and Bishopton Primary School, near Darlington in 1999, while he was on sick leave.

Last night she said she was outraged by the Education and Employment secretary's reply She said: "If a head teacher is bullying a member of staff they can decide whether the teacher is incompetent, they are the ones who set targets and decide whether the targets have been met. They are judge and jury. This needs to be addressed and made independent.

"But in his letter back to me David Blunkett does not address these issues. I don't think he wants to address them."