THE first ever local Question Time' type debate on the Menwith Hill US base will be held in Otley next week.

Four politicians, three from the largest parties and one from the Greens, and veteran peace campaigner Lindis Percy will sit on the panel of the Friday, February 2, event at the Civic Centre.

Menwith Hill Forum chairman and Otley Town Council Leader John Eveleigh says the meeting, which will be independently chaired by Dr Max Farrar, of Leeds Metropolitan University, will be the first of its kind.

He said: "We've held a number of public meetings and had experts come in to talk about particular subjects but this is the first time we've asked a group of local politicians to say what they think and have a Question Time' type event.

"We certainly wanted to get all the main parties represented, and we've ended up with representatives from four parties and Lindis Percy, who's internationally renowned for her exploits, plus a well respected, independent chairman.

""We've no idea where it will lead us but hopefully it will be constructive for us all to talk about our various positions and concerns.

"We want to run it like the TV show and try to discuss a range of issues. The chairman will decide what questions get put to the panel, and we're hoping to get suggestions and participation from a cross-section of the community - not just from people opposed to the base, but also those who support it or sit somewhere in the middle.

"That way we'll be able to have a good debate about the merits of what's going on there and, from a forum perspective, hopefully agree on ways to improve accountability.

"We're expecting to get questions about spying and civil liberties, the star wars' (space-based missile defence system) and more local concerns about things like planning permission.

"We decided to hold the event in Otley because that's where the forum started, although we've also got members in York and Harrogate now so we have meetings there, too."

The debate will take place in the civic centre's lecture hall from 7.30pm to 8.45pm. The panel will consist of: Yorkshire MEP Edward McMillan-Scott (Conservative); Martin Hemingway (Leeds North West Green Party); Fabian Hamilton, MP for Leeds North East (Labour); James Keeley, prospective Parliamentary candidate for Skipton and Ripon (Liberal Democrats); Lindis Percy, Joint Co-ordinator for the Campaign for the Accountability of American Bases.