Labour's Andrew Slaughter

Uxbridge Campaign Kicks Off

One of the earliest by-election campaigns of any parliament is now underway. The Chancellor, Gordon Brown, helped launch the campaign of the Labour candidate, Andrew Slaughter, in the marginal west London seat of Uxbridge.

The by-election follows the death of the Conservative MP Sir Michael Shersby just a week after being re-elected in the General Election. Sir Michael hung on to the seat by just 724 votes.

While vistiting a local business Mr Brown said: "Labour's campaign will focus on our achievements in our first two months in office as well as the work we want to do over the coming years for the people of Uxbridge."

But he admitted: "This is not going to be an easy by-election. We have a battle on our hands. We are taking this by-election very seriously. It is a difficult by-election. It is territory we were unable to win on May 1." Mr Brown said Labour was delivering its election promises on the economy, investment, education, jobs, the NHS and cutting VAT on fuel.

Mr Slaughter, a barrister, who was not Labour's candidate at the general election, is the leader of Hammersmith and Fulham Council in west London. He called on voters to put Uxbridge at the heart of the new Labour Government.

"I recognise that at the general election, some people in Uxbridge still needed convincing about Tony Blair's new Labour," he said. "But in the short time that Tony Blair has been Prime Minister they will have seen that new Labour is already delivering on the promises we made during the general election campaign."

The Conservative candidate, John Randall

Meanwhile Conservative Party chairman Lord Parkinson will launch the campaign of Tory candidate John Randall, 42, a local businessman, who was the late Sir Michael's agent.

Earlier the Liberal Democrat candidate Keith Kerr, who works at Heathrow Airport as a senior manager with British Airways, was joined by Nick Harvey, the party's chair of campaigns, to launch his drive for the seat.

The by-election on July 31 is an early popularity test both for the Labour Government and new Tory Leader William Hague.

Local Issues

Keith Kerr: Liberal Democrat

Another pressing issue is Heathrow Airport, part of which is in the constituency, with concern over plans for a fifth terminal on grounds of noise and the threat to the environment.

There is a large defence presence with RAF Uxbridge and the nearby Northwood base of Nato's East Atlantic and Channel commands. There is also a large student vote at Brunel University, which could be critical if the result is again close.