GORDON Brown’s visit to Swindon yesterday turned into a political farce after the Tory-controlled Swindon Council barred journalists from accompanying him on a visit to a primary school.

The Conservative-controlled council and the national Labour Party became embroiled in a political fight over access to Drove People’s Campus.

It turned into the first pitched battle of the election campaign – with Labour accusing the authority, led by Mr Rod Bluh, of trying to undermine Mr Brown.

The scene called to mind a Mr Bluh versus Mr Brown confrontation from the celebrated film Reservoir Dogs.

Crowds of reporters, photographers and cameramen were left standing at the school gates while Mr Brown went on a tour of Drove Primary School with wife Sarah and environment and climate change secretary Ed Miliband.

A planned press conference inside the school had to be hastily rearranged and Mr Brown was forced to speak to waiting journalists from the side of the road.

He said the decision was a matter for the council but added that it was “a great shame”.

The Labour Party responded angrily to the move, accusing the local authority of failing to inform them of the decision until 11.30am.

A spokesman for Mr Brown said: “It is absolutely outrageous for the Tory council to be trying to block access to the great facilities that are being provided here.

“It is clearly a party political decision.”

Labour’s candidate for Swindon South, Anne Snelgrove, who was also taking part in the visit, said: “I just think the council over-reacted really.

“It’s sad that we couldn’t have just let the cameras in for a little bit and sad that they didn’t want to celebrate what Drove Primary School are doing.

“I think this is their own interpretation of the rules but it’s a shame those rules weren’t made explicit to everyone, including candidates, beforehand.”

But Swindon Council insisted it was only obeying election rules and had told Conservative shadow ministers on similar visits that they could not be accompanied by media.

A spokesman for the council said: “In line with the restrictions placed on all local authorities by the Local Government Act 1986, we cannot allow electioneering on any council premises or property in the official pre-election period.

“We have been completely even-handed about this with all political parties.

“For instance, we recently told Andrew Lansley, the Shadow Health Minister, that he could not be accompanied by the media on a visit to a council-run sheltered housing scheme, and Conservative Party chairman Eric Pickles was not permitted to stage a photo inside council premises.”