Two county MPs today insisted the election would be won on the streets of Shropshire – despite public reservations about the impact of local politics.

Telford’s Labour MP David Wright and his Conservative Shrewsbury counterpart Daniel Kawczynski said they felt the local issues would ultimately sway the teetering voter.

Mr Kawczynski said: “I want to talk about the specific problems that Shropshire is facing.

“I’ll be talking about the local issues that matter to local people. People are going to be bombarded on the national campaign in the media and with the TV debates, and I think people are interested in local issues and issues that impact on Shrewsbury.”

“My number one priority is that people in the county are given £3,400 per child for their education every year, yet that figure in other parts of the country is nearer £9,000 a year because the inner-city areas gets more than Shropshire. I want to change that.”

And Mr Wright, who has been MP for Telford for the past nine years, said he felt local politics would play an important part in the outcome of the election.

He said: “I think that general elections have always been a mix of the local and national issues.

“Maybe this year it will be different again because of the TV debates. I welcome them and I think they are a great idea and in my opinion they’ll be with us for every election from now on.

“But I still think people will want answers on the issues that affect them. I will be getting out and about and meeting people and finding out what matters to them.”