AN ACCUSATION that Bournemouth council is being "run by Stalinists" has been dismissed as a cheap jibe.

Council leader Cllr Stephen MacLoughlin said he would not be drawn into a war of words with critics who claim he is too controlling.

But he admitted he was disappointed at some of the personal comments made about him recently.

It was Labour leader Ben Grower who led the attack on Cllr MacLoughlin at Tuesday's full council meeting, claiming the Conservative move of no confidence in Liberal Democrat Cllr Roger West was an act of "corporate violence" and "victimisation".

In a reference to last week's insult of Prime Minister Gordon Brown by Liberal Democrat acting leader Vince Cable, he said: "Instead of getting a nice amenable Mr Bean, instead we are being run by Stalinists."

Cllr MacLoughlin insisted he had dealt with the move of no confidence against Cllr West sensitively and with a sense of humour.

"Unfortunately, some of the comments made about Conservative members of the council were not made in the same spirit," he said.

"They brought in a range of other issues when the issue was about Roger as chairman.

"I think Roger has been treated fairly. I hope I have been as fair as I can be."

Cllr Grower's jibe came just days after Independent councillor Anne Rey attacked Cllr MacLoughlin for trying to stop her from attending an informal meeting of members and officers.

She claimed "bully boy tactics were in operation" and pleaded with Conservative councillors "not to be threatened in any way" over the move to close Townsend School.

Cllr Claire Smith, leader of the Liberal Democrat group, also voiced concerns to the Echo. She said: "If this was a business, you could have a serious case going to a tribunal.

"I just don't understand how somebody can have got so power-mad so quickly."

And following the meeting Cllr Ben Grower said he stood by his remarks regarding Cllr MacLoughlin.