MPS were misled during the Commons debate on the Government’s controversial plan to split Cheshire, it is claimed.

An “alarming catalogue of incorrect and misleading information” was put before the Commons says the county council’s executive member for communications Nora Dolphin.

She expressed her disbelief that MPs had voted after hearing information that was “inaccurate or untrue”.

And the county has written to Local Government Minister John Healey expressing its deep concerns that such a vital decision for the people of Cheshire had been taken on this basis.

She said: “We have set the record straight on a number of statements to the House, particularly the suggestion that the county council had prevented the status quo from being an option with its submission for a single unitary status.

“Throughout this debate there was a catalogue of incorrect and misleading information put before the House which cannot be allowed to remain uncorrected.”

She added: “The suggestion that the action of the county council in any way led to the decision by district councils to compile a two-unitary proposal is manifestly false.

“I understand Chester, Ellesmere Port and Vale Royal had been working on the submission since the regional government debate.”

All eight Cheshire MPs have been sent copies of the letter to the minister.

Four county MPs, Gwyneth Dunwoody (Labour) Stephen O’Brien, George Osborne and Ann Winterton (all Tory), voted against the order to implement two unitary councils.

Sir Nicholas Winterton (Tory) abstained and three – Christine Russell, Mike Hall and Ellesmere Port and Neston’s Andrew Miller (all Labour) – voted in favour.

Said Cllr Dolphin: “I am deeply concerned that MPs who have little knowledge of the Cheshire situation may well have been influenced by incorrect information in making a decision on the future of this great county.”