The MP for York called today to avoid "reigniting the wars of the Roses" over the reburial of the remains of Richard III, who was killed in the Battle of Bosworth in 1485, and discovered underneath a municipal car park earlier this year.

"I don't want to set York against Leicester but use this event to bring our cities closer together," Hugh Bayley, the Labour MP for York Central told a committee at the houses of Parliament today.

He is appealing for a fair method of state arbitration to decide where Richard should be buried, but also revealed that the Dean of York, the Very Rev Vivienne Faull, has received a string of abusive letters as the row intensifies over the remains of the monarch.

Hugh Bayley said: "I received many letters and emails from members of the public about this, supporting burial in York. Most are thoughtful and well argued and based on scientific facts but some are frankly inflammatory and talking yesterday to the Dean of York, some that she has received at the minster are so extreme that she has referred the correspondence to the police.”

Mr Bayley added: “I would say to everybody - calm down. Let's all respect the memory of a former king of our country.

“Let's discuss where his remains should be put to rest in a dignified and sober way. We don't want to reignite the Wars of the Roses.”

Richard III grew up in Yorkshire and erected the walls of the city of York.