Liberal Democrat candidates challenge opponents to sign up to 'Clean Campaign Pledge'

11.32.59pm GMT Tue 26th Jan 2010

The Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidates for Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough have challenged their opponents to sign up to a Clean Campaign Pledge for the coming General Election, in a bid to set clear standards for the coming election.

Chris Nelson (Kettering), Portia Wilson (Corby) and Kevin Barron (Wellingborough & Rushden) are sending copies of the pledge to their Labour and Conservative opponents to ask them to sign up to run a clean campaign - after all seven Lib Dem candidates in Northamptonshire signed up earlier this month.

Chris Nelson, Parliamentary Candidate for Kettering, said "I believe these rules set out a fair system which will allow parties to discuss the important issues without further insulting the public by flinging meaningless insults at one another. We want to hear the truth in this election from the other parties, just as we have always given the public here in the Liberal Democrats."

Portia Wilson, Parliamentary Candidate for Corby, commented that these rules "present a chance for the other parties to join us in changing the way politics are done." Portia went on to add that "As a mother of a small child, I believe in that politicians must set examples. We must be honest and we must be able to support our decisions and argue for them. I hope that Phil Hope and Louise Bagshawe will join with me in signing up to these values."

The pledge, signed by all Liberal Democrat candidates in Northamptonshire, commits the signatories to the following conditions:

• We will never lie to the electorate

• We will not make statements about our opponents without evidence to support them

• We will provide references for these statements on our web sites

• We will be honest about our past records, good and bad, and we will be open about the policies we would support as MPs.

• We will publish details of major donors to our campaigns

• We will never let electioneering stop us fighting for our constituents

After signing, Kevin Barron said that he was "proud to be leading the way in Wellingborough on clean campaigning."

"MPs should only claim one salary; their MP's salary", he continued "so that they are committed 100% 100% to their constituency and nothing else. Maintaining professional qualifications is one thing, but being involved in the running of a company can give MPs divided loyalties.

"We must, as politicians, fight to restore the public's trust in us. I hope my opponents will join with me in agreeing to these terms, I hope they believe in the good British sense of fair play."

Kevin campaigned against MPs taking second jobs in the 2005 Election and believes that honesty with the public includes doing the job you are elected to do.

ENDS