A WAR of words has erupted between Warrington North's Labour and Tory parliamentary candidates after both confirmed they would not be taking part in a pre-election debate.

The Warrington Guardian will host a debate between Warrington North's General Election candidates next Friday, May 26.

It will be streamed live on our Facebook page, with readers getting the chance to submit questions throughout the 30-minute session.

The office of Labour's Helen Jones said she is unable to attend due to a 'campaigning commitment', while Tory Val Allen confirmed she will only take part if her Labour rival is present.

A spokesman for Warrington North Conservatives said: "The facts of the matter are quite simple.

"Val Allen was, and still is, ready and willing to attend the Warrington Guardian's debate on May 26 – providing that Jeremy Corbyn's candidate for Warrington North participates as well.

"It's highly disappointing that Jeremy Corbyn's candidate in Warrington is running scared of residents in Warrington North.

"This would have been a perfect opportunity for her to explain to voters why she is backing Mr Corbyn to be Prime Minister.

"Val is happy to explain to residents why they should vote for her and the strong, stable leadership of Theresa May and the Conservatives on June 8 – but any debate without Jeremy Corbyn's candidate would be a waste of everyone's time."

A spokesman from Warrington North Labour Party has responded.

He said: "What the Conservative candidate fails to mention is that her participation in this debate was already in serious doubt before the issue of Helen's involvement had even been discussed.

"Given that Theresa May has declined to take part in television debates as Tory Party leader, their candidate here is hardly in a position to take the moral high ground.

"Describing Helen Jones as the 'Jeremy Corbyn candidate' shows the depths of absurdity local Conservatives have reached.

"Helen is an independent-minded MP and has never been afraid to stand up to vested interests either here in Warrington or in Westminster.

"This is in sharp contrast to the Tory candidate who, if elected, would simply vote to hand Theresa May a blank cheque and inflict devastating cuts on Warrington.

"Far from running scared, Helen has spent this election campaign doing what she has always done she was first elected – she's out every day, speaking to residents, engaging with voters and listening to the issues which matter to them.

"The Tory candidate can't make the same claim – she has no answers on issues like HS2 or Peel Hall and she won't guarantee that Warrington's A&E will not be downgraded or closed.

"Her business interests in Widnes and her position with the Halton Chamber of Commerce cast serious doubt over her commitment to Warrington North's economy.

"The Tory candidate is a risk that voters here simply cannot afford to take."

UKIP candidate James Ashington and Green Party candidate Lyndsay McAteer will be taking part, while Cllr Ian Marks, chairman of the town's Liberal Democrats, will represent his party instead of candidate Cllr Stefan Krizanac, who is unable to attend.

Both Labour and the Conservatives have opted not to send a replacement.

The debate will begin at 1pm next Friday, May 26.

To watch it head to the Warrington Guardian Facebook page.

Yesterday, Friday, May 19, Warrington South's Tory candidate David Mowat, Labour candidate Cllr Faisal Rashid, Liberal Democrat candidate Cllr Bob Barr and Independent candidate John Boulton took part in a debate.

To see how the session unfolded visit the Warrington Guardian Facebook page, or head to our blog on the debate.