Mother in new party tug-of-war

Labour and the Tories were locked in another bitter preelection row today as the mother of an autistic child hit out at claims she was being manipulated by Michael Howard.

Maria Hutchings appeared alongside the Conservative leader to attack the Government over the closure of special schools and lack of speech therapy for disabled children.

But in an echo of the case of Margaret Dixon - the OAP from Cheshire who had her shoulder operation cancelled seven times - Ms Hutchings was plunged into a tug-of-war between the two main parties.

Health Secretary John Reid said that "the majority of decent people" in Britain would be appalled at Mr Howard's attempt to use individual cases to attack Labour.

Mr Reid also revealed that former Tory party deputy chairman David Prior had declared that "exploiting individual cases is irresponsible".

But Mr Prior, a former Tory MP who now runs an NHS trust, said he hoped the Tories' use of her case "rebounds" on the party. "The hysteria whipped up in this fashion by exploiting individual cases is deeply irresponsible and particularly cynical so close to an election," he said.

A tearful Ms Hutchings angrily denied that she was being used by the Tories and instead gave a damning indictment of Mr Blair's government-The 43-year-old mother marched up to the Prime Minister during a live TV debate last month to tell him he was talking "rubbish" about education.

Today, she revealed she was a life-long Labour voter and member of the Labour Party but the treatment of her autistic son John Paul had turned her against the Government.

Ms Hutchings said she backed the Tories' new election pledge to impose a moratorium on the closure of all special schools as she described the struggle she had to find a place for her son.

She explained that her son was diagnosed with autism in 1997 and since then had "lived through a nightmare of bureaucracy and lies".

When asked by reporters whether a party political press conference was a suitable venue to be discussing her difficulties, she was furious.

She said: "I feel disgusted that you should think that I'm here as a political pawn."

Mr Howard refuted the charge of manipulation. He said: "A general election is an opportunity for people who have concerns to express those concerns. People like Maria, people like Margaret Dixon."