07 April 2006
Labour and the Liberal Democrats this week set out their stalls for the local elections on May 4 and immediately attacked one another's record in local government.
Prime Minister Tony Blair lined up with Chancellor Gordon Brown and other Cabinet members to launch his party's manifesto on April 5, and pledged to campaign on three issues.
'The first is that the average council tax in the country is lower under Labour than under the Liberal Democrat or Conservative authorities. We have got to keep it that way and we will,' Blair said.
'Second, we are the champions of the campaign against antisocial behaviour. Third, we are the party that believes in education for all, not simply a privileged few.'
Labour faces a tough fight in the local elections, especially in the key battleground of London, where it is unlikely to keep control of all 15 of its authorities.
There are 4,360 seats up for grabs on 176 councils across England. Elections are being held in the 32 London boroughs, 36 metropolitan authorities, 20 unitaries and 88 districts. Four mayoral elections — in Watford Borough Council and in Hackney, Lewisham and Newham in London — will also take place.
The LibDems launched their manifesto under the slogan 'safer, fairer, greener' on April 3. Party leader Sir Menzies Campbell attacked Labour's centralising instincts, which, he said, had taken power away from communities. He also criticised Labour's record on council tax. 'It has to stop. It's time to give power back to people and to their communities,' he added.
The Conservatives will kick off their campaign at their spring forum in Manchester on April 6.
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