EAST Lancashire Liberal Democrat peer Tony Greaves has questioned who paid for almost 20 visits to Pendle by Tory ministers.

He raised the issue in the House of Lords and has queried whether the taxpayer was paying for ‘political stunts’ to help Conservative MP Andrew Stephenson get re-elected.

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Lord Greaves told Tory minister Lord Wallace of Saltaire: “You will be aware that Pendle in the north of England is the most wonderful place in Britain.

“Will you explain why, in recent months, there have been a reported 17 ministerial visits to Pendle?

“What wonderful gifts are going to come to Pendle as a result of these visits?”

Lord Greaves, a borough councillor, said after the exchange: “The number of Conservative ministers coming to Pendle had been extraordinary and if the figure of 17 is correct the local Conservatives need to tell us how much they paid towards the visits.

“Some of the visits were certainly for genuine local reasons such as the visits by Eric Pickles and Greg Clarke to Brierfield Mill at the request of the council, even if the results in terms of government help fell far short of what we expected.

“But a lot were no more than political stunts on behalf of the Pendle MP Andrew Stephenson.”

Mr Stephenson said: “I am delighted that so many government ministers have come to Pendle.

“ I have been determined to put Pendle on the map.

“When ministers are in the constituency on government business or at the invitation of the council, the public purse pays.

“When Tories come for political purposes, the party picks up the bill.”