THE two members of Preston's Peoples Party have made an astonishing attempt to rejoin the Liberal Democrats, a senior Lib Dem councillor has claimed.

According to the councillor, Coun Tony Jones and Coun Joe Fitzgerald - who quit the Lib Dems last year after Coun Fitzgerald threatened to name the borough's gay councillors - have made an approach to rejoin the Lib Dems.

The councillor said: "They have spoken to several people about it. There is no way we would have them back."

The claim was strenuously denied by Coun Fitzgerald, who said: "We are prepared to work alongside them on certain issues but the People's Party of Preston will continue to grow."

Coun Bill Chadwick, leader of the Lib Dems, said: "There is absolutely no way we would let them rejoin us now.

"They made complete fools of themselves last year."

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