CONTROVERSIAL Councillor Joe Fitzgerald has threatened to sue Preston's Labour Party for damaging his name and reputation, the Citizen can reveal.

This week a complaint about Coun Fitzgerald, made to the Local Government Ombudsman by Labour councillor Marcus Johnstone and pub boss John Kyle, was thrown out.

And Coun Fitzgerald - who now heads Preston's People's Party - says he intends to take legal action against Coun Johnstone and the town's Labour Party for destroying his reputation on the council.

It had been claimed that Coun Fitzgerald had abused his position as councillor to seek revenge on landlord Mr Kyle, who runs the Fruit Machine gay pub and had barred him.

Coun Fitzgerald (pictured) claimed to have been representing locals who had complained about noise. This incident sparked Coun Fitzgerald's threat to 'out' fellow gay councillors, which led to his suspension from the town's Liberal Democrat party.

However the Local Government Ombudsman reported that it has found no reason to continue pursing the complaint.

Now Coun Fitzgerald wants to be able to clear his name once and for all and intends to sue Coun Johnstone, Mr Kyle and Preston's Labour Party.

A letter to Lib Dem leader Bill Chadwick claims that the party gave Coun Johnstone their full backing.

Coun Fitzgerald said: "I am over the moon that this matter has been resolved but my name and reputation have been severely tarnished and I want to correct that.

"I am in the process of talking to my solicitor with a view to suing those people who made the complaint against me.

"I have proof that there were complaints against that pub so this whole thing was unnecessary."

Coun Marcus Johnstone hit back, saying: "He is being strung along here because he has no case. If it does end up in court, I am tempted to get a cat to represent me because his case is so poor."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.