BLACKBURN Labour Party has been officially twinned with Rossendale and Darwen in a bid to oust Tory MP Jake Berry next year.

National bosses have asked it to send workers into the neighbouring marginal seat in the run up to the general election in May 2015.

Mr Berry won the seat by 4,493 from sitting Labour MP Janet Anderson in 2010.

The constituency is considered a key swing seat for any party hoping to form a government and in 1992 Mrs Anderson beat Tory David Trippier by just 120 votes.

A Labour North West spokesperson said: “The party encourages members and activists from across the country to support seats that Labour need to win.

“This is done alongside the work they carry out in their own constituencies.”

Mr Berry said: “Blackburn has been going down for 20 years. You would think the town’s Labour party might be more concerned with receiving it than interfering in the affairs of the neighbouring constituency.”

Blackburn Labour Party secretary Phil Riley said: “We are happy to help.”