A WAR of words has erupted between Bolton West MP Ruth Kelly and a Horwich Lib Dem councillor hoping to replace her at the next General Election.

Cllr Barbara Ronson. the Lib Dem's Prospective Parliamentary Candidate (PPC) for the MP's seat, has broadsided the MP claiming she fails to consult with councillors in her area on local issues.

But the Bolton West MP has countered saying Cllr Ronson is confused in her outburst and is merely "hanging on the coat-tails" of the Tory party with her outburst.

At the beginning of the year Tory Bolton West PPC James Stevens raised his concerns about the MP's voting record in the House of Commons.

The Tory hopeful branded her a "part-time MP" after it was revealed that, in terms of voting frequency, Ms Kelly took part in 30 per cent of Commons votes, ranking 598th out of 648 MPs.

She countered by saying she had been given special dispensation to miss late night votes to be with her young family and said there was more to being an MP than hanging round the House of Commons bars waiting for late-night votes.

"I listen to constituent views and concerns by attending constituency engagements and by having regular meetings with those who serve the community in Bolton West," the MP previously told the BEN.

But Cllr Ronson has now said she has been "waiting with bated breath" to hear from the MP following this statement.

"I have checked with the nine Lib Dem councillors in Bolton West and none of them appear to have been consulted by Ms Kelly in the past four years," she said. "I also have dealings with numerous community groups, many of whom claim not to have seen the MP."

She added: "I do not wish to join the Tory Prospective Candidate in slagging off Ms Kelly's attendance record in Parliament, but I would certainly be interested to know if she only consults with Labour members and not other democratically elected representatives."

Cllr Ronson acknowledged the contribution made by Ms Kelly on the so-called "yob culture" following a high-profile BEN campaign, but said she is concerned that she has not seen to be part of the follow-up activities by local councillors.

"Many young people in the area are caring and hard-working and their efforts are not always given their full prominence by the MP," she said.

But Ms Kelly said she was surprised to see Cllr Ronson hopping aboard the James Stevens "bandwagon".

And added that she was currently working with Cllr Ronson's husband Horwich Lib Dem Cllr Robert Ronson on an Horwich issue.

"I am currently helping her husband with a case concerning a local trader in Horwich," Ms Kelly said. "A fact which confuses her claim that I don't involve the Liberals in my work."

"With regards to her claims about yobs in Bolton, I have raised the need to speed up new legislation in parliament and will continue to press the Home Secretary on this matter.

"However, a large responsibility for helping implement the legislation locally lies with elected councillors and if Mrs Ronson is saying the Liberal Democrats are unable to undertake this task in wards they represent then perhaps they should stand aside and let others take their place."