A Wigan councillor found guilty of using his taxpayer-funded phone to rack up a £2,500 chatline bill faced growing calls to quit yesterday.

Greater Manchester MP Andy Burnham added his name to a public petition demanding the head of independent Robert Bleakley, who was caught out when officials highlighted hundreds of pounds worth of suspicious calls on his phone records.

An investigation later revealed that he had branded women “idiots” in text messages from the phone, with one text saying: “No wonder women are just cooking and washing material.”

The councillor was found guilty of breaching the professional code of conduct by Wigan’s standards committee but was not suspended.

It is only the latest scandal involving the Tyldesley ward councillor, who earlier this year was found to have used his council laptop to access pornography.

But while he has faced growing calls to resign Mr Bleakley, who said his actions were “out of character” and “in jest,” has so far refused — declaring his intent to serve his full term until 2016.

Leigh MP Mr Burnham said yesterday: “What kind of message would it send to young people about politics if nothing is done?”

Currently the electorate has no right to remove politicians mid-term, but the issue is being debated by major parties.

“The public needs to remove those who fall short, so there needs to be a right to recall MPs and an ability to remove councillors who don’t meet the accepted standards,” said Mr Burnham.

Mr Bleakley has now repaid the chatline cash and had his phone and laptop removed.