A HAMPSHIRE MP has accused the Government of "skulduggery" over its refusal to reappoint one of the New Forest's top public figures.

Desmond Swayne, Conservative MP for New Forest West, said the failure to offer a further three-year term to Oliver Crosthwaite Eyre, the Forest's Official Verderer for the past six years, demanded an explanation.

He and his fellow Verderers represent hundreds of Commoners - villagers with the right to let their ponies, cows and donkeys roam the Forest.

Mr Crosthwaite Eyre had offered to stay in post, a role which also involves protecting the area from inappropriate development, but the Government's Forestry Commission decided to open up the position to other candidates.

The Official Verderer, who is now due to leave at the end of April, told the Daily Echo: "I am stepping down with personally some sadness. I have enjoyed it immensely.

"The Government has its own reasons and I've no idea what they are."

Mr Swayne, speaking in the Commons, said he and Julian Lewis, MP for New Forest East, feared there was "some skulduggery" surrounding the move. He called for a formal statement from the Environment Secretary on the decision.

Mr Swayne told the Daily Echo the New Forest National Park Authority's interest in promoting leisure activities in the Forest may have "run up against" the interests of Commoners as represented by the Verderers.

The MP said: "My suspicion is the robust line the Verderers have taken under the superb leadership of Crosthwaite Eyre has clearly upset certain quarters. My fear is they are looking for a more malleable candidate."

Dr Lewis, speaking in the Commons, said he and Mr Swayne had raised concerns that the formation of the Park Authority, in 2005, risked undermining the authority of the Court of Verderers as protectors of the Forest.

He said: "The fact that that has not yet happened has been largely due to the fine performance of the Official Verderer, Oliver Crosthwaite Eyre."

The MP said afterwards: "Why should the Government say he can't serve another term unless they have been fed the suggestion that he shouldn't? Everyone knows he's done a superb job."

A spokesman for the Commission, which is running the appointment process, said: "It is not unusual for appointments like this to be put forward for open competition, available to everyone, after two terms of three years each."