Thavathuray Jeyaranjan: Local election campaign launch briefing

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Tony Blair <tony.blair@reply-new.labour.org.uk>
Date: 03-Apr-2007 12:16
Subject: Local election campaign launch briefing
To: "tjeyaranjan@gmail.com" <tjeyaranjan@gmail.com >

I've had the huge privilege of leading Labour into every campaign for 12 years. Over the years our party has worked successfully to make Britain fairer and more prosperous, we have also changed the electoral battleground. But what's not changed is my enthusiasm for getting our achievements and plans for the future across.

These elections see Labour in local government campaigning on a record in which we can take real pride. Our councils lead the way in value for money. We have improved services while delivering lower increases on average than Tory or Lib Dem councils and a lower average level of council tax.

Labour councils and councillors are in the lead, too, in tackling crime and anti-social behaviour in our towns and cities. They have been supported by a Labour Government which has delivered record numbers of police and given communities the new powers needed to get tough with the louts who make life misery for their neighbours. Labour councils have shown how these powers can help transform communities. In contrast, the Tories and Lib-Dems opposed them in parliament and have been reluctant to use them where they control the councils. Labour puts the rights of the decent majority before those of the mindless minority.

Colleagues in town halls have also made impressive progress in protecting and improving the local environment. They have used the new powers given to them by the Labour government to tackle graffiti, noise pollution and abandoned cars - again all opposed by the Tories.

Labour in Government and in councils up and down the land have worked together to improve education for our children. There's been record and sustained investment in our schools which we pledged to continue in the Budget last month. There are 36,000 more teachers in the classroom, new or refurbished schools in every community and the best ever exam results.

The progress in our health service has been just as impressive. There are 32,000 more doctors and 85,000 more nurses than in 1997. Thanks to their hard work, waiting times and waiting lists have been slashed. Where once patients routinely waited over 18 months just on in-patient lists for an operation, we are on course to guarantee no one waits more than 18 weeks from GP to operating theatre by the end of next year. Improved cancer and coronary care has saved tens of thousands of lives.

It's a record in which we all can take pride. We have made communities more secure, wealthier, fairer and, I hope, happier. What the public wants to know is that we have the determination, the policies and the ambition to keep improving their lives. They are looking for optimism and hope from Labour. We should give it to them. We are a party who has achieved so much and have even more to do.

With best wishes