BOLTON West MP Ruth Kelly has been accused of involving the town's schools in underhand electioneering.

She has come under fire from Liberal Democrats for a letter about the Government's Children's Tax Credit which head teachers were asked to distribute.

In it, Ms Kelly urges parents not to miss out on up to £520 a year available to parents with children under 16.

But Cllr Roger Hayes, chairman of Bolton West Liberal Democrats, believes the letter is a cynical attempt to reach voters through schools' distribution networks.

His party have protested to the town's director of education Margaret Blenkinsop about what they describe as a "totally inappropriate" use of schools.

Cllr Hayes claims the timing of the letter, dated April 4 but not sent out until May, is especially suspicious.

He said: "It is surely no coincidence that the letter is now being sent out just before the expected announcement of a June election -- it is a blatantly political act.

"We do not blame any head who sent this out -- they already have far too much paperwork to do and may not have realised the implications.

"The blame lies with the Labour Party. They knew exactly what they were doing."

But Ms Kelly dismissed the accusations as barrell-scraping by the Liberal Democrats, whose prospective parliamentary candidate Cllr Barbara Ronson will contest the Bolton West seat with Ms Kelly and Tory hopeful James Stevens.

She said: "The letter was highlighting important changes to the tax benefit system which directly affect children and it's really important that people are aware that many families are eligible for the benefit.

"Schools were the logical way to reach families with children. It's just politically motivated of the Liberal Democrats to say anything else."

Children's Tax Credit replaced the old Married Couples' Allowance at the beginning of last month.

Unlike the old allowance, it is available to all parents with one or more children under 16 living with them for at least part of the tax year.

The money is given in the form of tax relief to working parents through the Pay As You Earn scheme or at the end of the year for self-employed applicants.

Leaflets on the credit can be obtained from the Inland Revenue Orderline on 0845 9000444. Under fire from Liberal Democrats -- MP Ruth Kelly