Labour chief in 'BBC hoax' probe

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/staffordshire/8293832.stm

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The Labour leader of Stoke-on-Trent City Council is being investigated over claims he posed as a BBC reporter.

Mike Barnes is accused of calling Cheshire West and Chester Council claiming to be from the BBC to ask about chief executive Steve Robinson.

The Labour Party said it "had initiated an urgent investigation" into the claims.

The Longton South councillor declined to confirm or deny the allegations when contacted by the BBC.

Mr Robinson was the chief executive at Stoke-on-Trent City Council until October 2008, when he left to take up the same role in Cheshire.

Mr Barnes' case could now be referred to Stoke-on-Trent City Council's standards committee, which investigates the behaviour of elected officials.

The city council said in a statement: "If the case is deemed to have been a breach of the members' code and adequate evidence is provided, the standards committee will meet to decide the appropriate action to be taken.

"The city council takes any potential breach of the code very seriously and demands high standards of conduct are maintained by its members at all times."