Only one candidate can defeat Labour in Hartlepool

1.30.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 6th Apr 2010

The forthcoming General Election is a critical one for the voters of Hartlepool.

This Labour government with Conservative support led the nation into a legally questionable and disastrous war in Iraq. The economy has been brought to its knees through gross mismanagement. In their turn in office the Conservatives also failed the nation.

The Liberal Democrats have a proud track record in recent parliaments of speaking uncomfortable and unpopular truths. We were the only major political party in the UK to openly and speedily condemn the Iraq war. Only Liberal Democrat parliamentarians such as Vince Cable warned that the economic boom, of which Gordon Brown was recently so proud, was built on a quicksand of cheap credit. They were howled down by Labour and Tory members for doing so. Our priorities are rebuilding the economy and creating a fairer Britain with the tax burden fairly shared. We will use whatever leverage we have to that end - the Liberal Democrats could have a pivotal role in the next Parliament, as it is not unlikely that neither of the two failed parties will secure a working majority - neither deserves to.

In Hartlepool only the Liberal Democrats can displace Labour. Local and European elections with less than a third of the those entitled voting are no guide to what will happen in this General Election to decide the government of Britain for the next five years.

If the majority of Hartlepool's electors do not want Labour again, there is a real danger they will get exactly that if the result is a split vote between the parties opposed to Labour.

Only one party can defeat Labour in Hartlepool - the Liberal Democrats. Don't waste your vote elsewhere and above all don't stay at home. The country desperately needs to be rid of this Labour government - please do your bit to bring this about.