An autism expert in the North last night condemned the Government for sneering at concerned parents after the Prime Minister dismissed fears of a link between the MMR triple jab vaccine and autism.

Mr Blair yesterday claimed it was time for an end to the controversy over the combined measles mumps and rubella jab after allegations over the weekend that the original research into a link, by Dr Andrew Wakefield, could be compromised by a conflict of interests.

Dr Wakefield caused a storm when he first linked the measles, mumps and rubella jab to autism in an article in the Lancet in 1998. The UK MMR vaccination rate then stood at 90.8pc of children but had fallen to 84.1pc by 2001-2.

But it has now been claimed that Dr Wakefield was also being paid at the time to research evidence to support a legal action by parents who thought their children had been damaged by the vaccine.

Mr Blair said yesterday: "There's absolutely no evidence to support this link between MMR and autism. If there was, I can assure you that any government would be looking at it and trying to act on it.

"I hope now that people see that the situation is somewhat different to what they were led to believe. They will have the triple jab because it is important to do it."

But Paul Shattock, director of the autism research unit at Sunderland University, said last night: The Government has got to carry out thorough research on this.

"They have attacked Dr Wakefield personally but they are not able to attack the science.

"All the trials demonstrating the vaccines' safety were paid for by the manufacturers. I would suggest they are the people with the vested interest. Dr Wakefield does not have a vested interest."

Mr Shattock has a 33-year-old son with autism. His son's autism is not linked to the vaccine but he said: "The government has sneered and derided parents who are understandably angry, agitated and distressed. All they want is a proper investigation but Blair wants it stopped. His record on MMR is not a good one.

"The government's research has looked at figures and doctors' notes but they have not looked at patients and they have not talked to parents of patients."

And other North parents of autistic children also dismissed Mr Blair's comments.

Doreen Westcott, of Ridley Avenue, Howdon, North Tyneside, has a 12-year-old daughter, Jane, and does not believe the government should force parents to give their children the MMR jab.

She said: "I don't think anything has really changed. I think the jab is wrong and if Tony Blair tried to tell me Jane had to have it I would just say no.

"It should be the choice of the parents whether they decide to use it or not."

Kevin Cole, of Annitsford, Northumberland, who has a three-and-a- half-year-old daughter, Jenni, said: "If Dr Wakefield had a dual interest in this, the administrators at the hospital would have spotted it straight away.

"So I think it is a set-up - the Government trying to discredit him."

Lancet editor Dr Richard Horton has said he now regards Dr Wakefield's findings as "entirely flawed" and Health Secretary John Reid called on the General Medical Council to mount an inquiry into the claims.

But Dr Wakefield said: "It has been proposed that my role in this matter should be investigated by the GMC. I not only welcome this, I insist on it and I will be making contact with the GMC personally in the coming week."

The Journal: Today's Voice of the North