SIX OF the candidates vying to become Blackburn’s next MP clashed at a debate today.

Blackburn College’s new University Centre was the venue for the student union-organised event, hosted by politics lecturer Adrian Sackman.

On the panel were Labour’s Jack Straw, Conservative candidate Michael Law-Riding and Liberal Democrat Paul English.

They were joined by Bobby Anwar, of the UK Independence Party, and independents Bushra Irfan and Janis Sharp.

The seat’s third independent candidate, teacher Grace Astley, turned up but was not able to take part, while the BNP was excluded on security grounds.

Questions were put by students, starting with the problem of poor voter turnout.

Mr Law-RIding said he favoured compulsory voting - not official Tory policy - as did Mr Anwar.

Prisons were also on the agenda, with one student claiming they were 'colleges of crime'.

Mr Straw, who as Justice Secretary is in charge of prisons, said it was a 'myth' that many prisoners became addicted to drugs while in custody, pointing out that 80 per cent of inmates are already drug abusers.

Mr Law-Riding said this figure was a 'damning indictment of society'.

In a question about strategy in Afghanistan, Mr Law-Riding said: “We are not going to win there.

"We need to get serious”, but later denied he was advocating immediate troop withdrawal.

Mr English called for negotiation with the Taliban, claiming he 'would have even talked to Hitler'.

The final question asked candidates to suggest ways of bringing communities together - with Mrs Anwar suggesting turning disused pubs into 'chillax' areas serving soft drinks.