Labour targets mayor as Tories try to defy polls

The Tories go into the election defending 46 of the 72 seats on North Yorkshire County Council which were last contested in 2009 when the party was riding high in national polls.

This time they face a recovering Labour Party hoping to add to the one seat they held onto in 2009 
as well as a new challenge from Ukip.

Conservative council leader John Weighell said: “We have an unknown factor who have no policies on local government but who are going to take quite a protest vote. It would have to be a very, very substantial vote to make inroads enough to actually gain seats.

“We have been trying to get the message to people on local issues, the fact that the council tax has not gone up, care of the elderly has not been changed and we are desperately finding more money to invest in our roads.”

Ukip have talked up their prospects after a run of success including second place in the Eastleigh by-election earlier this year.

The party could have its biggest impact, however, by tipping the balance in tight races between the major parties.

A Ukip spokesman said: “Ukip is delighted with the response we are getting in North Yorkshire. Our candidates and activists have been extremely busy in the county and are receiving very positive vibes on doorsteps.

“In 2009 we fielded just two candidates in North Yorkshire, this time we have 49 and we are confident of securing seats on the council when the results are announced.”

The Liberal Democrats must wait to see whether they join the Conservatives in paying the price for the declining popularity of the coalition.

Group leader Geoff Webber said the state of the county’s roads was emerging as the single biggest local issue in the elections.

“The feedback I am getting from across the county is positive. People are not trying to take us to task because of what the coalition is doing.”

Labour is contesting every seat for the first time and is hoping to see a return to winning ways in areas such as Selby and Scarborough where it has previously enjoyed success.

North Yorkshire Labour chairman Roy Hutchins said: “Although local elections ideally would be about local issues they never are.

“It is very easy to lose members but much harder to get them back again and we are being realistic about that.”

Labour’s major target in the region on Thursday is the Doncaster mayoral election where the party is hoping to unseat Peter Davies who won as an English Democrat in 2009 but is running this time as an independent.

While there are ten candidates for mayor the race has long been seen as a straight fight between Mr Davies and Labour which has historically dominated politics in the town where the party leader is an MP and which still holds 50 of the 64 seats on the council.

Mr Davies said: “The form book tells you Labour wins in Doncaster. That only hasn’t happened once and that was in 2009 so the odds are with them but we are getting a very favourable response.

“I am genuinely of the opinion people think we have done a good job the last four years and like my operating style.”

Labour candidate Ros Jones has mounted a long campaign and received backing from senior party figures including Ed Miliband.

She said: “We’re working hard for every vote across Doncaster because after four wasted years under the do-nothing mayor Peter Davies we need a change.

“It’s going to be a tough fight but my message of creating new jobs, zero-tolerance on anti-social behaviour, bringing down energy bills, sorting our children’s services and helping veterans has won lots of support on the doorsteps.”