THE University of Bolton must apply the “basic rules of justice” regarding two sacked staff members, according to a prominent borough politician.

David Crausby, who is standing for re-election in Bolton North East, joined a union protest outside the Deane Road site and said the dismissal of senior lecturer Damian Markey and his wife Jennifer appeared to take place with “no real evidence that they have done anything wrong.”

The University and College Union said that the Markeys were sacked for allegedly leaking information to the press about the establishment’s vice-chancellor, Professor George Holmes.

The sackings follow news reports about the vice chancellor being loaned nearly £1 million to buy a house in Bolton and about the cost of staff away days — with the husband and wife couple denying that they leaked information to the press.

Mr Crausby said: “The only way that this is going to get resolved is for immediate discussions to take place between all the parties — this University is too important for our town.

A spokesman for the university said: “The university does not comment on the details of specific cases as it would be inappropriate for an employer to do so.

“The issue raised regarding two former employees of the University of Bolton is an internal matter and the process in question, which was instigated as permitted within the University’s local disciplinary procedures and at law, is subject to an appeal and therefore not completed.”

Labour candidate Mr Crausby is standing in Bolton North East against James Daly of the Conservatives, Laura Diggle for the Greens, Harry Lamb for UKIP and Stephen Rock for the Liberal Democrats.