A CONFUSED voter who sent £100 to the fighting fund of the wrong political party has prompted a challenge.

The cheque, meant for the campaign fund of Vale of York Conservative Anne McIntosh, has been received by her Liberal Democrat rival Greg Stone.

And he has said he will not return it until after election day, unless Miss McIntosh agrees to a public debate with all of the seat's candidates.

He said: "We are going to do the decent thing and hand it over to Anne McIntosh, but we might wait until after the election.

"However, as the Liberal Democrats believe in transparency with regard to political funding, we'll hand the cheque over sooner, but on one condition.

"I challenge Anne McIntosh to meet with myself and other candidates for a public election hustings debate."

Miss McIntosh has included no hustings-style debates in the run- up to the election.

Labour candidate Chris Jukes today backed Mr Stone's call.

He said: "We most certainly would want a public debate involving all the candidates.

"Miss McIntosh has public meetings where she is the only speaker. I think that is nothing more than a party political broadcast."

But a spokesman for UK Independence Party candidate Peter Thornber said: "This is petty politics on the part of the Liberal Democrats.

"There is a need for debate on Europe everywhere, but to have a small meeting in the Vale of York where the questions are hand-picked for the benefit of the Labour, Liberal Democrat, Tory alliance which is working to promote a single EU government is not something I support."

Miss McIntosh said: "My programme was organised in February, and I am subjecting myself to the public two or three times daily.

"We are having no public debate with the other candidates, but I think it was Tony Blair who set that precedent."

The cheque was received in a Liberal Democrats Freepost envelope from a voter in Easingwold. It was accompanied by a Conservative appeal letter.

"It goes to show that anyone prepared to donate such a sum to the Conservative party in their current shambolic state clearly must be a little confused, or has more money than sense," said Mr Stone.

Miss McIntosh said: "We take a very dim view of Mr Stone keeping this cheque and he must realise that if he doesn't send it to us it is theft."

Updated: 11:48 Wednesday, May 30, 2001