Labour 'big gun' out to support Ludlow candidate
Labour shadow Foreign Office minister John Spellar visited the south of the county to help the party's candidate in his campaign for the Ludlow seat.
Mr Spellar, himself up for re-election as MP for Warley in the West Midlands, met Dr Simon Slater at The Barley Mow on Lower Broad Street.
Mr Spellar had been on a tour of seats in the region and was keen to show support for a campaign in Ludlow that faces long odds.
It is a traditionally a Conservative stronghold, with Tory candidate Philip Dunne the favourite to win.
Labour's odds of winning are rated behind both Ukip and the Green Party, but Dr Slater said the feeling on the ground was that anything could happen in the forthcoming General Election.
Ludlow briefly turned Liberal Democrat before Mr Dunne's election, meaning it could conceivably change colour once again on May 7.
Dr Slater said: "John was here to help us demonstrate how seriously we are taking the campaign in this constituency.
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"I think there are a lot of Lib Dem voters who will feel disillusioned with what's happened over the past few years, and that will work in our favour.
"I think this election is wide open and we have a chance of increasing our vote this time around and giving the Lib Dems a run for their money."
Mr Spellar said he was pleased to arrive in Ludlow in the "glorious sunshine", after a chillier morning making his way around constituencies in the region.
He said: "I've been right the way across Worcestershire and Herefordshire, from Kidderminster to Hereford to here, visiting a number of seats.
"The interesting thing I have found compared to the 2010 election is how many more party members are out and being active.
"I've been very pleased to find local parties in good heart and feeling positive and one reason for that is the response from the public.
"I was down in Droitwich earlier, walking down the street, and there was a very friendly response, which isn't always the case and is very encouraging," he said.
He on his tour he had noticed "quite a bit" of defection of voters from Conservative to UKIP in the regions rural parts, but the Labour vote seemed to be holding up well.
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