Former Oxford University Vice-Chancellor Lord Neill has angered MPs by agreeing to represent the disgraced Tory Dame Shirley Porter.

Senior lawyer Lord Neill was appointed by Tony Blair to investigate corruption in public life.

But now he is to take up a lucrative brief to represent Dame Shirley, the former leader of Westminster Council, who was found guilty of selective sales of council houses at the expense of the homeless in an attempt to prevent Labour winning the 1990 council elections.

Some Labour MPs said they were incredulous that the Government's sleaze watchdog was to be Dame Porter's counsel in court.

Andrew Dismore, MP for Hendon and a former leader of the Labour group on Westminster Council, said: "I am astounded that Lord Neill has taken Shirley Porter's shilling. There must be a clear conflict of interest between his duties in looking into probity in national and local government and such a high-profile case that goes to the heart of probity in local government."

Labour MP Peter Bradley described Lord Neill's decision as "an extraordinary lapse of judgement."

But Lord Neill, 71, the former Warden of All Soul's College, Oxford, said: "By long tradition members of the Bar accept instructions on the cab-rank principle. They do not pick and choose their cases."

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