Candidates ready as battle commences (From Hampshire Chronicle)

Election fever in Wnchester starts as would-be MPs cross the starting line

8:50am Thursday 8th April 2010 in Politics By Warwick Payne

THE phoney war is over, and the general election campaign in Winchester is underway.

And on the very first day of campaigning, the Conservative camp received a boost with the visit of shadow cabinet minister,Theresa May.

Joined by Tory candidate for Winchester, Steve Brine, the shadow secretary of state for work and pensions went on a brief walking tour of the city centre.

She said: “Winchester is a very important seat, because it’s one of those that can make the difference and where people can get rid of Gordon Brown.”

Winchester was the first place that she decided to visit after the general election was called on Monday.

Mr Brine said: “Losing here in 1997, and then in the by-election later that year, was a nail in the coffin of the Tory government.

“It’s been Lib Dem here so long as we’ve had a Labour government, and if it stays Lib Dem, then we might still have a Labour government.”

He said he aimed to prevent that by “criss-crossing”

the district in the coming weeks and meeting as many people as possible.

Mr Brine added that it would be a close contest in Winchester, agreeing with the prediction made by outgoing Lib Dem MP, Mark Oaten, in the Chronicle last month.

The Lib Dems’ choice this time around is Martin Tod.

He said: “It’s good to be into the last stretch. Parliament is tired and this Government is tired.

“It’s long overdue for the public to have their say.

“In the last three years we’ve built up Winchester to be the largest Lib Dem constituency party in the country.

We’re ready for a very hard-fought campaign.”

The other candidates include Patrick Davies, who is flying the Labour flag in Winchester for the fourth time in 13 years.

He said: “The 2010 General Election is a clear choice for Winchester as for the rest of the country: either a renewed Labour Government or a dangerous untried Tory Government, with possible Lib Dem support.

“The present Lib Dem MP for Winchester has made clear he would support the Tories if there were a hung parliament.”

Ladbrokes the bookmakers have Mr Tod as the slight favourite at 8/11 on. Mr Brine is evens, whilst both Mr Davies and Mark Lancaster, for the English Democrats, are rated at 100/1.

Jocelyn Penn-Bull is expected to be the candidate for UKIP. The Green Party is not expected to take part in the election, which will be held on Thursday, May 6.

Who do you think? Will you be voting? Leave your comments below.