PARLIAMENTARY hopeful Mike Bell has called for an end to squabbling over non-issues with Weston s Tory MP and has asked John Penrose to instead join him in a public debate.

PARLIAMENTARY hopeful Mike Bell has called for an end to squabbling over 'non-issues' with Weston's Tory MP and has asked John Penrose to instead join him in a public debate.

The move comes after Mr Penrose accused the Liberal Democrat prospective parliamentary candidate of 'identity fraud' because he placed a link to his own website labelled opposition on a Wikipedia entry about the MP.

Wikipedia is a web-based, free content encyclopedia that members of the public can add information to.

Last week the Weston & Somerset Mercury exclusively revealed an email sent by Mr Penrose's agent, Paul McLain, to senior Tory party members and councillors calling on them to start a letter campaign to have Mr Bell deselected as PPC.

Mr Bell has written to Mr Penrose saying: "I would prefer to debate the real issues facing the people of Weston.

"With a general election widely reported as being imminent, I believe it is incumbent on us as the leading candidates to be the next MP for this constituency to articulate a vision for the future of this area."

Mr Penrose said: "I am very happy to debate with all the candidates at the next general election and the local churches have always arranged an excellent series of independently run forums for local people to meet and question the candidates in the past.

"I hope they will do so again at the next general election and I look forward to it when the time comes.