Watford’s mayor has refused to clarify whether she will complete her fourth term if re-elected or if she will stand for MP next year, following a challenge from a political opponent.

Dorothy Thornhill said she would not be "bullied" into making commitments about her future after her Labour challenger Jagtar Singh Dhinsda said the town "deserves a full-time mayor".

However she promised that if elected she would guarantee "four years of hard work" for the town.

The Liberal Democrat mayor also attacked Councillor Dhindsa for running for re-election as a Vicarage councillor and mayor when holding both jobs is prohibited.

She said: "This is rich coming from the party whose mayoral candidate is standing as a councillor and when he can’t legally hold both positions. I am not going to be bullied to dance to Labour’s tune.

"If elected I will guarantee four years of hard work for our town and the residents."

The Liberal Democrats are yet to select their Parliamentary candidate for Watford and last year the mayor refused to rule out running for the job.

In the 2010 General Election Lib Dem candidate, Sal Brinton, came a close second and was only beaten by Conservative incumbent, Richard Harrington, by 1,425 votes.

Mayor Thornhill has won all three mayoral elections since the post was created in 2002. After securing her third term in 2010 she initially ruled out running for a fourth but later changed her mind.

Last year Mayor Thornhill said a health scare had been behind her initial comments about a fourth term but she had changed her mind as she wanted to see through large projects such as the health campus.

This week councillor Dhindsa said: "She (the mayor) is all over the show. One minute she says she won’t go again, now she’s gone back on that promise. 

"Now she says people should vote for her, but even if she wins, which is doubtful, is she going to go the whole four year term, or is she going to attempt to wriggle out of the role in less than 12 months and instead stand for Westminster?"

"Watford deserves a full-time mayor and that is exactly what I will be, not someone gazing out of the window, paying little attention and instead dreaming of being an MP.

"It is disrespectful to the town that she will not be straight, open and honest and plainly say she will serve a full four year term in re-elected and rule out jacking the job in after 11 months to stand for Parliament."