The Liberal Democrat candidate for Bradford West has criticised her Labour and Conservative opponents as neither is to attend hustings organised in the constituency.

Two events are to be held on Wednesday – one organised by Bradford Disabled People’s Forum, and the other by JUST West Yorkshire. A third is currently being organised by QED for a date yet to be announced.

Jeanette Sunderland, who is standing for the Lib Dems in the by-election, has accused Labour’s Imran Hussain and the Tory’s Jackie Whiteley of “running scared”.

She is calling on them to accept the invitations, saying: “Now my opponents are too embarrassed to even show their faces at debates organised by local groups who care passionately about the city. It’s time Bradford West had an MP who can provide strong, determined and outspoken leadership for this city.”

A spokesman for the Labour campaign said it felt more people could be reached by knocking on doors than attending a hustings.

He said: “We have taken a strategic decision not to take part in any hustings. The feeling is it is far more important for our candidate to be out on doorsteps speaking to as many people as he can.”

He dismissed a claim by JUST West Yorkshire that Labour did not want to share a platform with George Galloway, saying it had “no basis”.

A spokesman for Mr Galloway’s Respect party campaign said: “They (Labour) are scared and not willing to face up to him.”

A spokesman for the Tories said: “There are many invites for things, activities and community events, it is not possible to do everything that is requested.”

The Bradford Disabled People’s Forum event is being held at Carlisle Business Centre in Manningham from 10.30am to 1.30pm and the JUST West Yorkshire hustings is at Bradford University students’ union, in the AMP Hall, from 6.30pm to 8.30pm.

Candidates standing in the by-election are: Neil Craig (Democratic Nationalists); George Galloway (Respect); Alan ‘Howling Laud’ Hope (Monster Raving Loony Party); Imran Hussain (Labour); Dawud Islam (Green Party); Sonja McNally (UK Independence Party); Jeanette Sunderland (Liberal Democrat) and Jackie Whiteley (Conservative).