A FIERCE contest for political control of Lancaster City Council will take place next week with New Labour looking to eject the MBIs from power.

A brand new cabinet will be elected at a full council meeting on Wednesday afternoon but - with deals being made behind closed doors - it's uncertain who will take control.

Most parties say they will support a proportional representation system, which would see all parties represented on the cabinet, but Labour say they will not join or support any cabinet containing MBI councillors.

A coalition of two or more parties, such as Labour and Lib Dem, could take power if others abstain but it's unlikely the MBIs will remain in charge as a minority administration.

The MBI and Green groups say they are keen to see a cabinet with representatives from all the parties, an option also favoured by the leader of the Conservative group, which will meet to discuss their options this week. Liberal Democrats also say they will consider PR or a coalition.

Group leader Cllr Jon Barry said: "If you leave out the MBIs, then you are excluding most of the people of Morecambe, which won't be fair, but then again, if its just made up of MBIs, then you're excluding the rest of the district, which also isn't fair. The electorate voted for many different groups and this should be reflected in the cabinet."

Conservatives, previously tipped to join a coalition with Labour, will discuss their policy on Friday. Group leader James Airey said: "I think the way forward is to have a cabinet with all the parties sitting around the table. Frankly, it's been very difficult for the administration to get anything done and people are getting very frustrated. Consensus politics is the way forward. We need to put party politics to one side for the next two years."

He added: "I can't see us voting for any single party to take all the seats on the cabinet themselves, and I don't think any other party would do that for us. It's all up in the air."

Liberal Democrat leader Cllr John Gilbert said: "I think it's all in the melting pot at the moment.

"It could be a single party, which I think is unlikely, it could be a PR system, which is also unlikely as Labour have said they will not work with the independents, or it could be a coalition, which I think is more likely and would, presumably, exclude the Independents. At the moment we are teetering between favouring PR or a coalition."

Labour leader, Cllr Abbott Bryning is away this week, his deputy, Cllr Ian Barker, said: "The Labour group will make a final decision before the meeting, but we made it clear some months ago that we will not serve in any cabinet of which the MBI are members.

"Clearly, there are two larger parties, ourselves and the MBI, and three smaller parties. It is clearly in the hands of those smaller parties. We don't think the MBI should be in the cabinet, and we will vote against any proposal which would see the MBI in the cabinet."

MBI leader Cllr Tricia Heath said: "We suggested a PR cabinet but Labour aren't prepared to see the views of everyone in the community reflected in the council.

"They are hungry for power and will do anything to get it. I'm sure local people will be unhappy at the prospect of Labour running the council after they voted out 17 of their members at the last election. We'll just have to see what happens."

The decision will be taken next Wednesday at Morecambe Town Hall. The public are welcome to attend.