A ROW has broken out between South Lakeland's two major political parties after it was announced that the Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate is also to stand in the district council elections.

The Conservatives immediately said that Tim Farron's decision to stand as a candidate for South Lakeland District Council's Milnthorpe ward meant that he had abandoned his parliamentary hopes for Westmorland and Lonsdale.

But Mr Farron hit back, insisting the LibDems had a tradition of dual-serving MPs and councillors, and that he would be able to do both jobs.

Mr Farron, 33, who is head of faculty administration at St Martin's College and the Lib Dem's prospective parliamentary candidate for Westmorland and Lonsdale, said that his party's MPs, such as chief whip Andrew Stunell, often also served as councillors.

If he was elected as an SLDC councillor in June, and then later as an MP, he would continue with both roles.

He claimed that although the Conservatives said he had abandoned his parliamentary hopes, an election leaflet put out by the Tory district council candidate in Milnthorpe contradicted this, and implied that he would win the parliamentary seat.

The leaflet said: "The Liberal Democrat's campaign has imploded after it was revealed that their candidate intends to stand for parliament in less than 12 months, once again leaving Milnthorpe without a proper voice on the council."

Mr Farron claimed the Conservatives were "panic stricken".

"If the Tories are so intent on slagging me off all the time, I wish they'd at least keep a straight story."

However, local Conservative agent Peter Williamson denied that the Tories were sending out mixed messages.

"The decision by the Lib Dem prospective parliamentary candidate to contest a seat on South Lakeland District Council in this June's local elections is a firm indication that for all their bluster the Lib Dems always knew they were on a hiding to nothing in Westmorland and Lonsdale."

Mr Williamson said that it would be different if Mr Farron was already a councillor who then decided to run for parliamentary office.

"You can't be a district councillor and a parliamentarian. You have got to opt for one or the other.

"I don't think he (Tim Farron) thinks he's got a chance of winning for parliament, that's why he's tried to be a district councillor."