Roger Liddle, the man at the centre of sleaze claims against the Government, is a former deputy leader of Oxford City Council.

Mr Liddle is now being strenuously defended by Tony Blair against claims that he offered businessmen access to ministers.

The Labour leadership is mounting a fierce rearguard action to save Mr Liddle's job as a senior Number 10 adviser.

But in Oxford, Mr Liddle built his reputation as a tough-talking councillor who could certainly look after himself.

The man, seemingly so crucial to New Labour, later boasted that he had played a key role in setting up the SDP. He sat on the city council from 1971 to 1976, and for three years served as deputy leader.

Mr Liddle has had to endure damaging claims that he told American businessmen he could put them in touch with policy-makers. Ironically, it was his discretion that helped him quickly rise from local government to being the special adviser to Labour Transport secretary, William Rodgers, as well as his firm grounding in the business world and the electricity industry.

In 1984 Mr Liddle stood as the SDP Alliance candidate for the Oxford and Buckinghamshire Euro-constituency, polling 45,055 votes, but he was well beaten by Conservative James Elles.

Born in Carlisle, Mr Liddle won a scholarship to Queen's College, Oxford. He went on to become secretary of the St Clements ward committee of the Labour party and a chairman of an east Oxford residents' association.

Former Oxford Lord Mayor John Power, a one time Labour colleague, said he had known him since his university days.

Mr Power, who fought Liddle in a Euro-election, said: "My overriding impression is that he was interested in the machinery of Government rather than principles and the aspirations of people.

"Politics for him was about wheeling and dealing."

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