A NIGHT of high political drama or a damaging farce which has made Blackburn with Darwen Council a laughing stock? Local government reporter DANNY BRIERLEY was there to see Labour regain control. . .

THESE are strange times at Blackburn with Darwen Council and everyone connected with the council knows it.

The flowers that lined the corridors of the borough's town hall last night could not mask the smell of something fishy.

Former council leader Sir Bill Taylor and ousted outspoken Tory Eddie Harrison were among guests, stalking proceedings like ghosts of a council past.

Chief executive Phil Watson, dressed in his official finery, a kind of judicial drape with wig, got proceedings under way...by now everyone knew what to expect. We were waiting for was the gloves to come off.

Had deals been made? Who promised what to whom? Who was going to get what?

Labour councillors wore roses and rosettes as if to remind everyone who was really in charge. It was a day of celebration for them and the grins on their faces proved it.

But the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives wanted to have their say. LibDem leader Paul Browne rose to his feet and let rip. In his eyes, the independents he was ready to join forces with last week were now on a par with something he'd trod in on his way to the meeting.

And just in case the bulging eyes and straining sinews weren't enough of an indication of how strongly he felt, Coun Browne resorted to waving his arms in the air and berating the borough's new independent party for turning their backs on him.

His friend and colleague David Foster's first duty as the new Mayor was to remind Coun Browne about the council's rules of conduct. Despite his first official warning, Coun Browne was not to be outdone or undone. Labour, he said, were now "running an administration controlled by the six independent rebels."

Labour leader Kate Hollern, too, had little time for the six. She may be grateful for their votes but she was careful not to thank them. She said they had "robbed the people of the borough" and acted "disgracefully."

Conservatives also wanted revenge. Many, including deputy leader Michael Law Riding, standing in for leader Colin Rigby, were seething that the six turned their backs on them.

Like the LibDems, the Tory group had grand designs on the council. Designs that were eventually thwarted by the rebels.

The Conservatives seemed obsessed with statistics. Coun Michael Lee said Labour had got only 45,000 votes from 110,00 people which was 40 per cent of a 50 per cent turnout. This he claimed, proved beyond all reasonable doubt that Labour had not really won the election at all.

To reinforce the abstract and surreal nature of life at Blackburn with Darwen Council, Salim Mulla, a member of the dirty half dozen, sang the praises of his former Labour colleagues.

Labour was best for housing, best for the borough and the best party to drive the council forward. Then why leave Coun Mulla, why leave?