The behaviour of some mobile home park owners is a "national scandal", an MP said yesterday.

In a backbench-led debate in the House of Commons, Tory Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater and West Somerset) attacked the way some people living in the parks were treated by their landlords.

Referring to a mobile home park in his constituency – Lakeside Park, Bridgwater – he told the Commons: "We are dealing with blackmail, we are dealing with threats, we are dealing with people who are determined to get these people out of their houses.

"And surely you will agree that this has actually now become a national scandal, that right across this country these people – the most vulnerable in some cases, the most needy – are being threatened, their lives and their livelhoods, because of this anomaly."

MPs united yesterday to urge the Government to protect the rights of mobile home residents from rogue park owners.

Lib Dem Stephen Gilbert (St Austell and Newquay) said: "I have serious concerns over the harassment, bullying and general intimidation that home owners on these sites are all too often subjected to.

"Bullying tactics, threatening behaviour and even assault are not the norm but they are not rare either."

Shadow local government minister Chris Williamson called for a licensing system to build on regulations introduced under the Labour government.

A motion calling on the Government to consider a "fit and proper person" test for site owners was agreed without a vote.