THE woman chosen to fight Ruth Kelly in Bolton West at the next General Election has joined calls for the cabinet minister to end speculation that she will switch constituency.

Conservative prospective parliamentary candidate, Susan Williams, turned up the heat on Ms Kelly amid rumours she will desert her marginal seat for the safer Labour seat of Bolton South-east.

Ms Kelly secured a third successive victory in Bolton West in the 2005 General Election with a narrow 2,064 majority.

But Dr Brian Iddon, who is retiring ahead of the next poll, won Bolton South-east by 11,638 votes.

Ms Kelly has so far refused to comment on speculation about a possible switch to Bolton South-east.

But Mrs Williams, the leader of Trafford Council, said: "I think she should let people know what she is doing, she has an obligation to the people of Bolton West.

"The public are not stupid. The worst thing politicians can do is delay or not make any comments about what they intend to do.

"It sends out the message that her heart is not in Bolton West and if she were to move, it would suggest she felt she was not going to win the seat."

Mrs Williams admits that facing a new Labour candidate instead of the sitting MP might be an easier task.

But she insists she is ready for the challenge of ousting Ms Kelly and says victory over the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government would be sweeter.

Mrs Williams said: "Any administration in its third term has every right to be scared of losing seats and it would not surprise me if prominent MPs in marginal seats choose to go elsewhere.

"While it would give me an advantage to fight a new candidate I suppose the challenge in me would find it more satisfying to defeat Ruth and I would be quite happy to take her on."

Meanwhile, a ballot by which Bolton West constituency party members must confirm their backing for Ms Kelly ahead of the next election will not take place until at least April.

With David Crausby having received the support of the Bolton North-east party last month, a senior Labour source had suggested the failure to schedule the Bolton West ballot indicated Ms Kelly could be on the move.

But a spokeswoman at Labour's regional office said it organised the ballots for seats in any one of three phases, the first in November and December, the second in January and February, and the third in April and May.

"The fact the ballot has not taken place yet is no indication that Ruth Kelly will not be contesting Bolton-west." said the spokeswoman.