18 April 2003
Labour launched its local election campaign this week focusing on its improvements to public services, measures to tackle antisocial behaviour and the threat of Tory spending cuts.
Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott homed in on Tory threats to cut public spending by 20%.
He told the campaign launch in Birmingham on April 14 that the average council tax rise for a Conservative-run authority was 16.2% compared with 10.7% for Labour-run councils.
There are more than 10,000 seats up for election on May 1 in district, unitary and metropolitan councils in what has so far been a lacklustre campaign. Labour has fielded just two-thirds of eligible candidates, while the Tories are still playing down the number of seats they hope to win.
The final count is also expected to have a significant effect on the Local Government Association. Labour currently has a majority on the body, with 36%, but the Tories, at 33%, are close behind, followed by the Liberal Democrats on 20%. So any significant shifts on May 1 could leave it with a new political administration.
PFapr2003
