Local MP Rosie Cooper has called on Tory Prospective Parliamentary Candidate to reveal how much of the so-called 'Ashcroft money' he and his Lancashire colleagues have received to help in their election campaigns. This is following the revelation by Lord Ashcroft of his 'non-dom ' tax status in the UK. For 10 years the Tory peer refused to make his tax status known.

Rosie said: "Councillor Owens is good at demanding transparency. However, he should play by his own rules and be open and honest about how much the multi-millionaire Deputy Chairman of the Tory Party Lord Ashcroft has donated to election campaigning in Lancashire. Indeed, has Cllr. Owens been a beneficiary of 'Ashcroft' money?"