BOLTON MP Brian Iddon is planning to spend time lingering on street corners and pounding the pavements of the local shopping centres -- in a bid to find out what people really think about the Government.

The Bolton South East MP has had double-sided bright yellow and red sandwich boards designed and made to advertise his presence and hopes they will prompt people who would not normally talk to politicians to come forward for a word.

"Basically I want to do a Heineken -- reach the parts of the constituency I wouldn't normally reach," said Dr Iddon.

The idea stems from his days as a councillor when he used to get out and about meeting people in street surgeries.

"They were very successful and I wanted to do this almost as soon as I was elected," he said.

However, pressure of his Westminster responsibilities has meant the plan has been put on hold until this summer.

But for the next few weeks he hopes to get out and about several times a week, come rain or shine, visiting the busy parts of the constituency accompanied, where possible, by local councillors.

"It is a really good way of gauging people's reactions to what the Government is doing," said Dr Iddon.

"I am bound to get some criticism but I hope it is constructive. I will be taking the opinions from street level back to Westminster."

People who have problems of a personal nature which they believe the politician can help with can still make appointments to see him privately.

"I can't deal with anybody's personal concerns in the street for obvious reasons," he said.

The first of the street surgeries takes place this Saturday from noon to 2pm outside Asda in Farnworth.