THE gloves came off during electioneering this week with former Morecambe tourism officers David Christley and Trevor White signalling their intention to stand in the May elections.

Mr Christley and Mr White were controversially suspended by the council on charges of gross misconduct in 1997 but Mr Christley later won a case of unfair dismissal while Mr White left to work at Frontierland.

Mr Christley will stand as a Morecambe Bay Independent candidate in Torrisholme and Mr White will stand as an Independent in Bolton-le-Sands.

Meanwhile claims of lies and double doubling have already led to claims that the local police have been contacted three times as the political dogfight turns nasty.

Announcing his intention to stand, Mr Christley, who worked for Morecambe Tourism for 13 years, said: "I was always dismayed at the council's obvious bias against Morecambe. I have first hand knowledge of how the electorate are so often ignored by the council hierarchy. If elected I would fight for honest, decent and open local government, something not much in evidence with this present administration."

Mr White, who lives in Bolton-le-Sands, said: "I'm a local guy who has lived here many years and, as a friend of the independent councillor Keith Budden, I thought it would be good to stand for the council as an another independent."

MBI councillor Geoff Knight has made an official complaint to the police amid accusations of misleading leaflets and the council's chief executive and returning officer, Mr David Corker, is also reported to have contacted the police in relation to possible breaches of the Local Government Act.

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