Mr Darling faces the media during his visit to Telford

Telford is key to Labour’s hopes of winning over Middle England in the General Election, Chancellor Alistair Darling said during a visit to the town.

Mr Darling highlighted Telford’s importance to Labour when he called in at the Schneider Electric plant in Stafford Park, Telford.

His comments confirm that Telford will be one of the country’s most important election battlegrounds after Shadow Business, Innovation and Skills Secretary Kenneth Clarke last week described the seat as “pivotal”.

And the Chancellor said he would listen to county voters over key issues such as retaining services at the Royal Shrewsbury and Princess Royal hospitals.

Mr Darling was joined on the visit by Telford Labour candidate David Wright, who currently holds the seat with a majority of 5,406, and is the party’s only Shropshire MP.

Mr Darling said: “Telford has changed hands in the past. I want to see David returned here. It is a very, very important seat for us.

“We will only win if we win Middle England and Telford is a key to that.”

The Chancellor said the last 13 years of Labour Government had been good for Telford and he highlighted two ways in which the area had benefited. He said: “Firstly, there are more people in work now. Employment is absolutely key to every family in Telford and this country.

“Secondly, there are the public services, like our education, like our health service. They have seen a lot of money put into them and services have improved. There is still a long way to go but they are a major plank of our manifesto.”

Mr Darling would not speculate over whether Labour would collaborate in the event of a hung parliament, saying that whatever the outcome of the parties had to get on with things.

Meanwhile William Hague visited Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Welshpool.

The Shadow Foreign Secretary said: “The biggest issue so far in this election has been jobs and business. People I speak to are worried about their jobs. We need a government which will create a good environment for jobs and which will restrict regulation on creating jobs.”

By Simon Hardy