Ann Cryer's election campaign was given a boost this weekend by a friendly "beast".

Dennis Skinner, who has been MP for Bolsover since 1970 and a Labour Party member since 1956, earned the nickname "Beast of Bolsover" for his often abrasive manner.

He has known Mrs Cryer since 1961.

The former miner met her through her husband, the late Bob Cryer, who was the Keighley MP between 1974 and 1983 and MP for Bradford South until 1994 when he died in a car crash.

Mr Skinner played a key role in Mrs Cryer's 1997 election triumph.

He explained: "When they suggested an all women's shortlist at Keighley, Ann said 'do you think I should run?' I said 'of course'.

He added: "I should say pound for pound of all the women who came in last time she's probably one of about three or four who stands up and speaks her mind."

Mr Skinner said that when he joined Mrs Cryer's campaign trail in 1997, he was confident she would win the seat and feels the same this time around.

He added: "Her husband never had a rock solid seat; he always had marginals. She was an expert canvasser before she got the job."

Having previously branded New Labour's reforms a "sell out of the century", he now feels the party has taken a step to the left.

He said: "Now it's about public expenditure -- preserving, maintaining and reinvigorating all public services, health services and education and the need to go down the road of not cutting taxes."

"None of us feel uncomfortable with the change which has taken place. It's the strongest economy there's been while I've been a member.

"And it's the first ever Labour government to go into election with unemployment lower than when it started."

It seems the beast has been tamed.