THE husband of the late Audrey Wise MP has launched an attack on Mark Hendrick, Labour's candidate in Preston's forthcoming by-election, calling him 'two-faced'.

John Wise, a member of Preston Labour Party, says he cannot support somebody as the candidate who is the complete opposite of everything Audrey Wise stood for.

John attended the Preston party selection meeting earlier this month where he heard candidate Mark Hendrick -- a former MEP -- launch, what he claims, was a 'nasty personal attack' on the former Preston stalwart.

He said: "The person chosen to be the Labour candidate for the election attacked Audrey for being critical of the Labour government.

"He said that there are some people who still think we are in opposition, even though we are now in government and that Labour MPs must be loyal to the government.

"He condemned independent-minded Labour MPs for being ineffective and isolated on the backbenches. "Anyone who knows anything of Audrey's work as MP and leading light of the Health Select Committee would be outraged at this description."

John Wise added that he had read Mark Hendrick's first election leaflet in which he praised Audrey as hard-working and well respected and says that it is a great privilege to carry on Audrey's good work.

"In private Labour party meetings and elsewhere, Mark Hendrick criticises Audrey.

"Yet in public he praises her," John continued.

"The reason why Audrey was held in such high regard was because she was always honest and never two-faced.

"The same cannot be said of the Labour party candidate."

A Labour party spokesman, reacted to the attack.

"We are sorry that John does not feel that he can join with the overwhelming majority of Preston's Labour party members and support the campaign to return Mark Hendrick as Preston's next MP," he said.