POLICE chiefs want to quiz Home Secretary Michael Howard over political conference cash in a bid to get justice for Lancashire.

The county's taxpayers already cough up almost £900,000 every other year for security at the Conservative Party conference in Blackpool, with no specific help from the Government.

And this year, in the face of renewed IRA activity, they face a huge bill for the Labour conference too.

At the same time, Conservative-controlled Dorset has been told it will get help with the cost of the Tory event at Bournemouth this year. "We don't think the situation is at all fair," said police authority chairman Coun Ruth Henig.

"We have written to the Home Secretary setting out our case and asking for an urgent meeting.

"No other authority has to police a major political conference every year. It places unfair burdens on the county taxpayers and it will make it difficult to carry out our policing plan."

Lancashire Chief Constable Pauline Clare, said the security at the Labour conference would this year be at a similar level to last year's Conservative conference, and costs could rise even higher.

She said no specific provision had been made in the authority's budget for expenditure on such a scale. "I think it is important that representation be made to the Home Office for funding as a matter of urgency."

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