TORY defector Peter Thurnham today invited John Major to visit a Bolton homeless hostel and discover one of the key reasons why he left the Conservatives. The Bolton North East MP said he joined the Liberal Democrats because of the growing gulf between rich and poor. He said: "I'm inviting the Prime Minister to come to Bolton and visit Clare Court and see for himself what is going on.

"Since John Major became Prime Minister the problem of homelessness has got far worse.

"I want him to see what is happening in Bolton."

Mr Thurnham said he was ready to campaign for the Liberal Democrats anywhere in Britain and expected to do so in Bolton in the run-up to the election.

He said: "It's up to the Party, but I will go wherever they asked me. I expect to be in Bolton at some point."

Mr Thurnham made his final decision to join the Lib Dems over the weekend after watching the party conferences on television.

In today's Bolton Evening News he explains his reasons in an exclusive article.

He says the conferences convinced him that he could no longer remain on the Conservative benches in the House of Commons even as an Independent.

He speaks of his horror at the attempt to prosecute the Matrix Churchill businessmen over the 'Arms to Iraq affair' despite Government approval of the exports.

And he tells how "the renewed allegations of misconduct by Conservative Members of Parliament confirm that rottenness is deep rooted in the Party".

He blasts Mr Major's "complacent and ineffective approach" and says the Conservative party is no longer a 'One Nation Party' but deeply divided.

Mr Thurnham says he could not support Labour after seeing it in action in local government in the North-west, but he felt able to support Paddy Ashdown who gave in his conference speech a 'strong and clear lead'

Mr Thurnham urges Bolton voters to back the Liberal Democrats at the next election.

He told the PM that another key issue in his decision to leave the Tories and eventually join the Liberal Democrats was education and the fact that the number of pupils being excluded from school had tripled under Mr Major.

As Tory Party chiefs denied that they had dangled a knighthood in front of him to stay in the Party, Mr Thurnham's allegations over 'sleaze' re-ignited the simmering Commons row on the issue.

He denied the real reason for his defection was his failure to be considered for the safe Westmorland and Lonsdale seat where he lives and said: "I'm not going to fight any more elections. I've had 13 good years and it's time to put my feet up."

He added: "I shall not be resigning and fighting a by-election. I was elected to represent Bolton North East as an MP which I shall continue to do.

"What the people want is a general election to get the Government out, not a by-election."

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