TWO HORSE RACE IN NEWCASTLE

12.15.00pm GMT Fri 8th Jan 2010

With the General Election only months away, electing a new MP to fight for Newcastle is a big decision.

With the Conservatives out of the race in Newcastle, it is a simple choice between Labour and the Liberal Democrat campaigner Ron Beadle.

For five years the Liberal Democrats have run Newcastle City Council and are now leading the fight to send MPs to Parliament to speak up for Newcastle.

Even the bookies have written off the Conservatives' chances of winning in Newcastle.

Ladbrokes has quoted them at 100/1 to win Newcastle North at the General Election - showing they are rank outsiders with little realistic chance of success.

Lib Dem campaigner Ron Beadle is quoted at 6/4 to pull off victory.

These odds confirm that it is the Lib Dems and not the Conservatives that are the only credible challengers to Labour in

Newcastle North.

At the General Election only Ron Beadle can beat Labour. It has been more than 17 years since the Conservatives last won a seat on the city council and they finished a distant third at the last General Election in Newcastle.

Newcastle campaigner Ron Beadle said: "In Newcastle voting Conservative only helps Labour.

"Gordon Brown will be desperate for local people to support the Conservatives to ensure that his Labour candidate is

elected as Newcastle's new MP.

"The Liberal Democrats are the real challengers to Labour in this city. The Lib Dems have shown that we can make a

difference locally - and we can also make a difference in Parliament."

What is clear is the Conservatives cannot win in Newcastle at the General Election. It is between Ron Beadle and

Labour. No other result is possible.