DAVID Cameron's mother has signed a petition against spending cuts that would see the loss of every children's centre in his constituency.

Retired magistrate Mary Cameron, 81, put her name to a battle to save 44 children's centres due to be closed by Conservative-run Oxfordshire County Council.

Council workers in the Prime Minister's Witney constituency will stage at 24-hour strike next week in protest at the plans, with the union Unite accusing the council of "turning its back" on children, young people and their families

Mrs Cameron apparently signed the petition while she was visiting her son. She told the Daily Mirror: "My name is on the petition but I don't want to discuss this any further."

It is understood Mrs Cameron was persuaded to add her name by her sister Clare Currie, 78, who lives in Oxford.

Mr Cameron's aunt said she would be among protestors outside county hall next Tuesday when councillors cote on the local authority's budget.

The plans will see £8 million shaved from its children's services provision, halving the budget for early years education.

The closed centres will be replaced with eight children and family centres, but these would only be accessible to the most vulnerable people by referral, campaigners said.

Jill Huish, from the Save Oxfordshire Children's Centres campaign, told the Banburyshire Info website: "I am delighted that Mary Cameron has joined the senior voices, including that of her son the Prime Minister, against the Conservative county council's closure of children's centres.

"It seems to be a bizarre situation where David Cameron is unable to defend children's centres against the cruel cuts he's allowed his own Government to impose on local authorities."

The Prime Minister wrote to the local authority in his capacity as MP for Witney last year expressing "disappointment" at planned cuts to museums, libraries and day centres for the elderly.

But council leader Ian Hudspeth hit back, saying the curbs were the result of reductions in funding from central Government.

Unite accused Mr Cameron of being "two-faced" over his criticism of the council.

The petition, which has attracted more than 7,000 signatures and is addressed to the council and its cabinet member for education, Melinda Tilley, says: "Our children's centres are a lifeline to new parents who rely on locally accessible advice and support at a time when it is most needed," she said.

Mr Cameron's official spokeswoman declined to say whether the Prime Minister had spoken with his mother about the anti-cuts petition, telling a Westminster media briefing: "I'm not going to get into private conversations between the PM and his family."