Just two phones were responsible for 46 per cent of “no” votes in a newspaper poll, a probe has revealed.

And the Chronicle & Echo investigation has shown that the phones were both owned by a politician from the council at the centre of the poll.

The Northampton paper wanted to find readers’ views on whether details of the pay-off to the borough council’s chief executive should be made public.

But soon after the result was announced - showing 67 per cent thought the deal should remain secret – the irregularities were uncovered.

The two phones in question were owned by the Conservative deputy leader of the council, with a further 13 per cent being made from the party’s local headquarters, and six calls coming from the party press officer.

Deputy leader, Coun David Palethorpe, told the paper: “All I can say is someone close to me thought they were doing me a favour, but this is embarrassing.”

In the past, phone votes in the Chronicle have been read out in council meetings to give a guide to public opinion.

Coun Palethorpe said the local party would be briefed on how to treat such phone polls in future.