THE parliamentary credentials of Worcester's would-be MP's have been put to the test at a mock election campaign.

Pupils at the Royal Grammar School will be going to the polls this Thursday. They invited parliamentary candidates to roll out their programmes at a hustings event . The four candidates each gave a speech to introduce their policies and then fielded questions from the floor at the school's lecture theatre.

Three pupils will bid for votes. They are Paul Baldwin (Labour), Paul Merchant (Conservative) and Noel Titheridge (Liberal Democrat).

Richard Chamings (UKIP)

Mr Chamings suggested to his young audience that they could say "b*****ks" to Europe in their school election.

The vet from Malvern said that, as there was no UKIP candidate standing in Thursday's poll, their options were limited.

"You could draw your own UKIP box on the ballot paper, or you could write 'b*****ks to the European Union' on it," he said.

He said his party's programme would be funded by an "independence dividend", based on withdrawal from the EU and saving the country's subscriptions.

"They won't stop trading with us," he said.

"They need markets to sell their cars, cheese and wine."

He accused bureaucrats on the continent of planning to foster a United States of Europe that would challenge the Americans and create its own army.

Policies

Europe: immediate withdrawal, increase trade with the Commonwealth instead.

Single currency: complete opposition.

pensions: increase using the "independence dividend".

Tax: raise the tax threshold.

Fuel: reduce prices by 9p per litre.

Richard Adams (Con)

Mr Adams told the meeting most voters felt unrepresented - and admitted his party as well as the Government had to shoulder the blame.

"People are overtaxed and don't feel the Government's money is being spent properly," he said.

Mr Adams' hackles were raised when one questioner claimed the Conservative party suffered from racism.

"There's not a racist bone in my body," said the former soldier, who added he had fought shoulder-to-shoulder alongside Muslims.

"I think if people talked less about racism some of the problem would go away."

He said comments on race and immigration by Conservative MP John Townend had been "blown out of proportion".

Policies

Education: Free schools from LEA control. He said this would mean an extra £500 per pupil each year in Worcestershire.

Pensions: Allow pensioners to receive cash instead of free television licences and winter fuel payments.

Crime: Reduce paperwork so officers could spend more time on the beat.

Europe: Stay in the European Union, but consider leaving if it showed signs of becoming a "superstate".

Single currency: Keep the pound. Mr Adams did not specify whether adoption of the euro should be considered after the next Parliament.

Fuel: cut by 6p a litre.

Paul Chandler (Lib Dem)

Paul Chandler said his was the only party not afraid to raise tax.

He also said the Liberal Democrats were keen to be at the heart of the European Union and to embrace the "European ideal".

"Crete was occupied for 2,000 years but the people on the island remained Cretans. We'll stay British."

He said the European issue was being avoided in some constituencies, unlike in Worcester.

Mr Chandler claimed all parties were telling the electorate they were presenting the truth, but the Liberal Democrats had pledged to uphold "freedom, justice and honesty".

Policies

Tax: Raise for people earning £100,000 or more to improve schools, pensions and the NHS.

Europe: Closer integration.

Single currency: in favour of joining the euro, but Parliament should hold a referendum first.

Fuel: Spend more on public transport rather than cut petrol prices. Mr Chandler said environmental issues "weren't being mentioned enough" in the election campaign.

Mike Foster (Lab)

Worcester firms would flee the city if Britain left the European Union, claimed Mr Foster.

"Companies like Bosch and Yamazaki would leave for mainland Europe immediately and 3,500 jobs would be lost," he said.

He said Labour had a proven track record in investing in public services, including helping the countryside with additional bus routes and assistance for post offices.

The party's future projects were listed in the last public spending review, Mr Foster said.

Labour wanted to recruit 10,000 doctors and 20,000 nurses across the country to bolster the National Health Service.

"Lord Walker cut the first sod at the new Worcester hospital site in 1993, but nothing happened until a Labour government was elected," Mr Foster said.

He accused the Conservatives of wanting between £8bn and £20bn in tax cuts.

Policies

Education: spend more on secondary schools, following concentration on primary education in the past four years.

Crime: provide more CCTV in Worcester.

Europe: stay in the European Union.

Single currency: a referendum will be held when the time and conditions are right.

Hunting: shoot foxes instead of using hounds.

Fuel: said Government was already reducing prices.