With the conference season nearing its end, politics is much in the news at the moment. The main political parties are laying out their stalls for the upcoming general election, and the Sun has caused great upset amongst the Labour Party that their 12 year affair with them is finally at a close.

These policies put forward by the main parties have to be comprehensive and co-ordinated – after all, these are the parties that are asking voters for their support to form the next government and have to be robust to stand the test of running the country.

But at the same time, the election is about who will be the most effective MP for Wyre Forest and here we have a further choice: to continue to be represented by an MP outside the main political spectrum who can enjoy making up his policy as he goes along, as he personally sees fit; or to return to more traditional politics where the local MP will be able to leverage his or her position by using their influence within a larger party to serve their constituents better.

However, Richard Taylor is reluctant to debate the pros and cons of his position in public. I have asked him on more than one occasion if he would be prepared to meet me for a good old fashioned public debate at Kidderminster Town Hall, open to everyone, where he can be properly scrutinised on his unique position.

So I am asking him again: Richard, will you meet me in a public and open debate so that we can both air our positions, giving the residents of Wyre Forest an opportunity to hear from us both just how influential we can be in supporting our constituents at Westminster?

If nothing else, it should help generate interest in politics again.