POLITICAL rivals have made a joint appeal to Mike Foster to "fight a clean fight" in the General Election battle.

Conservative Margaret Harper and newly-chosen Liberal Democrat candidate Mary Dhonau issued the request after Mr Foster's Labour party criticised Mrs Dhonau's political past.

"We welcome Mrs Dhonau's selection for her latest preference, the Liberal Democrats, just as in 2001 when she asked to join the Labour Party we welcomed that too," said a statement from the city Labour party.

Mrs Dhonau admitted she had discussed possibly joining Labour but dubbed Mr Foster (right) "desperate" for dragging up the past.

"I will criticise Margaret Harper's policies and the Conservatives but I won't criticise her and she has said exactly the same - we both want a clean fight for our parties," said Mrs Dhonau.

Mrs Harper was "very disappointed" that Labour had decided to attack Mrs Dhonau.

"We agreed a while back that if she was selected we'd fight a clean campaign and fight on the policies of the Labour party," said Mrs Harper.

"Mike Foster said he wants to fight on his and Labour's record since 1997 so let's fight it on that."

Mr Foster responded to his two challengers by saying he would fight the election campaign by highlighting Labour's "successes of the past eight years and what we are offering the voters for the next term".

"I will be saying it is a choice for the voter," he said.

"The electors of Worcester face a real choice at the next election - going forward with Labour, or back with the Conservatives."