Blair goes into local elections 'with pride'
Tuesday, 3 April 2007 12:00 AM
The Labour party launched its campaign for the May local elections today, as Tony Blair and Gordon Brown travelled to Nottingham together.
Today's events were overshadowed, however, by increasing criticisms of the chancellor's pension reforms, while election coverage also focused on Labour's floundering performance in opinion polls across the UK.
In a break from tradition, Mr Blair launched Labour's local election campaign with an email to supporters rather than a traditional campaign document. He told activists they "could be proud" of Labour's record in local government.
Despite this, some predications put Labour on track to lose as many as 600 local council seats, with nearly half of the country's councillors up for election.
A poor result in the May local elections could, however, be overshadowed by elections for the Scottish parliament and Welsh assembly. Polls increasingly place the SNP firmly ahead of Labour, with the nationalists threatening to usurp Jack McConnell's party at Holyrood.
Nevertheless, Mr Blair launched today's campaign insisting he was proud of Labour's past achievements at local and national level.
He continued: "It's a record in which we all can take pride. We have made communities more secure, wealthier, fairer and, I hope, happier.
"What the public wants to know is that we have the determination, the policies and the ambition to keep improving their lives. They are looking for optimism and hope from Labour."
Labour councils are leading the way in value for money, Mr Blair told supporters, with lower increases and lower than average council tax achieved at the same time as an improvement in services.
Following speeches on crime by both the Liberal Democrat and Conservative leaders today, Mr Blair also moved to position Labour as the party of law and order.
After the Conservatives promised to reform police forces if elected to central government, policing minister Tony McNulty responded: "Labour has given the police the legal tools and powers they need to crack down on crime and anti social behaviour.
"David Cameron just wants to hug a hoodie. His party talk tough but vote soft by opposing the powers the police need - like 5 year minimum sentences for carrying a gun."
The Liberal Democrats also launched their local election campaign today, a month ahead of the election. Lib Dem leader Sir Menzies Campbell called on voters to "reject New Labour and their mimics," claiming Mr Cameron has aped the worst of New Labour's "failures".
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