Coalition? What coalition? Lib Dems vow to fight Tories in Yorkshire test

Howard Keal confirmed the Lib Dems will continue to contest the North Yorkshire seat, which was the only constituency where there was no poll last week due to the death of the UKIP candidate during the campaign.

Mr Keal said he is looking forward to his chance to "upset the apple cart" and beat the favourite, Conservative Anne McIntosh, who was the Tory MP for Vale of York in the previous parliament.

The Vale of York seat disappeared in the recent boundary changes.

Mr Keal, who is a Ryedale borough councillor from Norton, near Malton, said: "It`s a full-on fight, there`s no question about it.

"I never expected anything else than we would fight the by-election. It was never in any shadow of a doubt.

"I hope people in our constituency will seize the opportunity we have been given to upset the apple cart."

He added: "I hope disgruntled Conservatives - of which there are plenty - will lend me their vote and Labour supporters will vote tactically to help deliver a shock result in Thirsk and Malton.

"While the battle goes on here, Nick Clegg has seized the opportunity to bring Liberal Democrat ideas, policies and pledges to fruition, to best represent voters and the national interest.

"We have kicked out the Conservative policy on giving inheritance tax cuts to the super rich and gained agreement to give 700 a year to low earners and people on middle incomes.

"We have also gained a commitment to go to the country with the offer of a fairer system of voting - it is blatantly obvious the current electoral system is broken."

Mr Keal said he believes the seat is a two-horse race between the Tories and Lib Dems. He said he will be emphasising his local campaigning record during the campaign.

The poll in Thirsk and Malton will take place on Thursday May 27.

The vote was postponed last month after the death of Ukip`s John Boakes. Only Ukip has been allowed to field another candidate. All the other nominations remain unchanged.

Ms McIntosh, who was shadow minister for environment, food and rural affairs in the last parliament, secured a majority of more than 13,000 in the 2005 general election in her Vale of York seat.

Parts of this seat form a section of the new Thirsk and Malton constituency which covers a large area of rural North Yorkshire.

The other candidates nominated are: John Clark (Liberal), Toby Horton (Ukip) and Jonathan Roberts (Labour).