A PROSPECTIVE Tory MP claimed the decision to build a controversial bail hostel in County Durham was made on purely political grounds.

Addressing a packed public meeting in Chester-le-Street, Matthew Palmer told anti-bail hostel protestors that Labour Party spin doctors chose the small market town because of its massive Labour majority at the last election.

The Conservative prospective parliamentary candidate said the probation service earmarked the town for the 25-bed hostel because it had an outgoing MP in long-serving Giles Radice, instead of a high-profile member such as Tony Blair, in Sedgefield.

In picking a constituency with a comfortable majority and no high-profile members of parliament, County Durham Probation Service would expect the massive majority to easily "soak up" any defectors to other parties, he said.

But North-East Labour Party officials dismissed his claims as electioneering.

Speaking at Chester-le-Street's Greenbank Club on Wednesday night, Mr Palmer said he was suspicious that the quiet north Durham market town was chosen for such a large facility.

He said: "It's got one of the biggest majorities in the North-East, so it can afford to lose a few votes and it has an outgoing member of parliament.

"If this seat became marginal there would be no bail hostel.

"Also, recent legislation by the Labour Government has seen an extra 30,000 offenders on the streets under their early release scheme.

"Sections of this legislation specify that people on bail may be put in approved probation hostels and that they don't have to be electronically tagged.

"They have created this problem themselves."

But a Labour North-East spokesman said MP Giles Radice and new Labour parliamentary candidate Kevan Jones both backed the protestors' fight.

He said: "It was Chester-le-Street's Labour council that threw out planning permission for the scheme, while the Tory councillor for the ward didn't even turn up for the vote."

Chester-le-Street business Picktree Motors has pledged £500 to the Stop the Bail Hostel committee to help it fight the plans at this summer's public inquiry.