Blair hits the campaign trail
Prime Minister Tony Blair hit the campaign trail this afternoon with a visit to Labour’s most marginal seat.
Speaking to Labour supporters at the Weymouth and Portland Sailing Academy, Mr Blair emphasised “the fundamental nature of the choices that we face” at the forthcoming election, describing Conservative policies as “damaging” and “regressive”.
Weymouth is in the constituency of South Dorset, which Labour won in 2001 by just 153 votes. Sitting MP Jim Knight beat Conservative Ian Bruce into second place, while the Lib Dems were a long back in third place.
Mr Blair, fresh from a helicopter ride from London, today made an off-the-cuff speech in which he stressed, “this is the time to keep progress going”.
He said there was still much to be done, stating “we need to keep living standards rising” and “all the time we need to keep moving forward”.
Earlier, Chancellor Gordon Brown told an audience in the City that another Labour Government would secure economic strength and stability, and move society forward.
The Labour Party manifesto, he said, would promise measures to invest for the future and improve flexibility in face of greater economic competition from abroad.
He added that the election would offer a choice between “political philosophies”, and said that people should vote Labour for a “Britain of opportunity fairness and prosperity for all, fully equipped for the decades ahead”.
