A LABOUR MP has demanded an apology from his Conservative rival who accused him of misleading the House of Commons.

Bolton South-east MP Dr Brian Iddon is furious that the Tory General Election candidate for his constituency, Deborah Dunleavy, has reported him to the Speaker of the House for claiming in a speech that there had been six deaths caused by dangerous driving in his constituency over an 18-month period.

The police claim there have been only two in the whole of Bolton over the same period.

Miss Dunleavy had linked his claims to Bolton receiving £750,000 in funding from the Government to tackle Boltons record for road accidents, which is the third worst in the country.

But Dr Iddon has produced a letter from the Department of Transport announcing the money three months before he made the comments.

He said: "I am angry that she has attacked my good character in this way and I await her apology. I can prove to her these people have been killed in my constituency whether the police have recorded them as death by dangerous driving or not."

The Speaker has since written to Miss Dunleavy to say that the issue does not fall under his responsibility.

Dr Iddon is recorded in Hansard as having made his speech on January 11, but has produced a letter sent to him by the Transport for Minister, David Jamieson, which is dated October 5, 2004, announcing the grant.

But Miss Dunleavy, who will fight Dr Iddon for the seat at the election which is expected to be called for Thursday, May 5, is refusing to back down.

She said: "I do not know what Dr Iddon wants me to say sorry for and I think he would be well advised not to turn this into an issue.

"His figures do not tally with those given to me by the police and, as far as I am concerned, this is the crux of the matter."