Cameron frames elections as red-blue battle

PRIME Minister David Cameron lashed out at “waste” by Labour councils as he launched the party’s local elections campaign yesterday.
David Cameron addresses Conservative Party supporters at the Amberside Sports Club in Nuneaton.David Cameron addresses Conservative Party supporters at the Amberside Sports Club in Nuneaton.
David Cameron addresses Conservative Party supporters at the Amberside Sports Club in Nuneaton.

Sheffield City Council was attacked by the Conservative leader for employing 391 staff earning more than £50,000 as he accused Labour authorities of “spending your money like it’s theirs”.

“These people: when it comes to spending your money, they just cannot help themselves,” he said.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

In a speech with just one mention of the Tories’ coalition partners and no references to Ukip, Mr Cameron insisted the elections would be a fight for “the services on our streets”, “the pound in your pocket” and “the future of our country” as he accused Labour leader Ed Miliband of “turning left”.

David Cameron addresses Conservative Party supporters at the Amberside Sports Club in Nuneaton.David Cameron addresses Conservative Party supporters at the Amberside Sports Club in Nuneaton.
David Cameron addresses Conservative Party supporters at the Amberside Sports Club in Nuneaton.

“More spending, more borrowing, more debt - that is what he’s calling for, more of all of those things that got us into this mess in the first place.”

In Yorkshire, the elected mayor’s seat in Doncaster and every seat on North Yorkshire County Council will be up for grabs on May 2.

Selby MP Nigel Adams yesterday admitted the party faces a tough challenge to repeat its performance of four years ago in the County Council elections.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He said: “In 2009 we had the best result I can remember in local elections. We won seats in the Selby district, Labour seats, I can never remember us having ever won.

“So we start from a very high point, in fact we almost wiped Labour out completely in North Yorkshire, they only had one seat and we came within eight votes of taking that seat.

“To maintain that high watermark under the current circumstances will be very tough but I am confident that people will see that North Yorkshire’s a very well run local authority.”

Mr Adams was speaking at the Yorkshire launch of the Conservatives’ latest campaign poster, focused on the Government’s income tax record, alongside Elmet and Rothwell MP Alec Shelbrooke and Andrea Jenkyns, the party’s General Election candidate for Morley and Outwood.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Mr Shelbrooke said: “As much as Labour might want to defend those out of work and living on benefits and giving them something for nothing the fact is this Government is rewarding people who are doing the right thing and working hard.”