LABOUR has accused the Tories of running scared over a Bill to allow disabled people to use Government cash to tailor their own personal care schemes because of the intervention of Bolton MP Peter Thurnham.

The Government has been defeated twice over a provision to allow the over 65s to make use of the proposed new system.

Ministers want to ban the over 65s from the scheme set out in the Community Care (Direct Payments) Bill.

But with the help of Independent Tory Mr Thurnham they lost two key votes in Committee when he sided with Labour on the issue.

Now Hyndburn MP Greg Pope and his Burnley Labour colleague, Peter Pike, are demanding the Bill be debated in the Commons Chamber.

But more than a month after it finished in committee, there is no sign of the bill coming to the floor of the Commons.

Mr Pope said: "There is no excuse for this interminable delay of for the Government's failure to set a date for the next stage."

Mr Pike said: "Ministers are hiding from their embarrassment over defeats in Committee.

"They are delaying progress because they are afraid of a further defeat on the Floor of the House of Commons."

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