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| PM Brown 'in by-election bunker' | |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| David Cameron has accused Gordon Brown of hiding in "his bunker" - instead of going out to Crewe & Nantwich to explain axing the 10p tax band. | |
| Mr Brown told MPs it was a prime ministerial convention not to campaign at by-elections and he had given £2.7bn to help those hit by tax changes. | |
| Mr Cameron said ex-PM Tony Blair always "led from the front" at by-elections. | |
| The exchanges came as the three main parties took to the streets of Crewe for the final day of campaigning. | |
| 'Unbackable' | |
| Labour deputy Harriet Harman, shadow home secretary David Davis and Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg are all in the area to support their respective candidates. | Labour deputy Harriet Harman, shadow home secretary David Davis and Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg are all in the area to support their respective candidates. |
| The by-election was sparked by the death of Labour MP Gwyneth Dunwoody, who had held the seat since 1983. | The by-election was sparked by the death of Labour MP Gwyneth Dunwoody, who had held the seat since 1983. |
| But Ladbrokes have stopped taking bets on the outcome saying the Conservatives have become "unbackable" on 16/1. | But Ladbrokes have stopped taking bets on the outcome saying the Conservatives have become "unbackable" on 16/1. |
| Mr Cameron has pledged to "pull out all the stops" to secure the seat, which would be the Conservatives' first by-election gain from Labour in 30 years. | |
| 'Class warfare' | 'Class warfare' |
| He has urged Crewe and Nantwich voters to send Mr Brown a message about the abolition of the 10p tax band and his performance since becoming prime minister last summer. | |
| Labour have run a campaign accusing the Conservative candidate Edward Timpson - a barrister whose family founded the Timpson shoe repair business - of being a "toff" while their campaign promotes Ms Dunwoody, daughter of the late Gwyneth Dunwoody, as "one of us". | Labour have run a campaign accusing the Conservative candidate Edward Timpson - a barrister whose family founded the Timpson shoe repair business - of being a "toff" while their campaign promotes Ms Dunwoody, daughter of the late Gwyneth Dunwoody, as "one of us". |
| What's very clear is there is a lot of support draining away from the Labour Party - an enormous amount Vince CableLiberal Democrats Full list of candidates | What's very clear is there is a lot of support draining away from the Labour Party - an enormous amount Vince CableLiberal Democrats Full list of candidates |
| Mr Cameron claimed Labour's campaign was "backward looking, out of date and it's divisive" adding he did not believe people responded to "class warfare". | |
| But Labour's chief whip Geoff Hoon told BBC 2's Newsnight, the party's campaign was about "choosing the best person to best represent the people of Crewe and Nantwich" and he said Ms Dunwoody was "an excellent candidate". | But Labour's chief whip Geoff Hoon told BBC 2's Newsnight, the party's campaign was about "choosing the best person to best represent the people of Crewe and Nantwich" and he said Ms Dunwoody was "an excellent candidate". |
| Asked whether a loss for Labour would damage Mr Brown's premiership, he said: "I don't accept that for a moment." | |
| The prime minister has come under fire from the opposition for being the only main party leader not to visit the constituency during the course of the campaign. | |
| Lib Dem leader Mr Clegg will be out with his party's candidate Elizabeth Shenton on Wednesday, talking to voters in Nantwich town centre. | Lib Dem leader Mr Clegg will be out with his party's candidate Elizabeth Shenton on Wednesday, talking to voters in Nantwich town centre. |
| Mr Clegg's deputy, Vince Cable, told Newsnight his party was taking its chances of winning the seat very seriously. | Mr Clegg's deputy, Vince Cable, told Newsnight his party was taking its chances of winning the seat very seriously. |
| Trains anger | Trains anger |
| "What's very clear is there is a lot of support draining away from the Labour Party - an enormous amount. | "What's very clear is there is a lot of support draining away from the Labour Party - an enormous amount. |
| "People haven't fully made their minds up how to use their vote. I think there's a lot of people who don't want to vote Conservative and find us an attractive alternative." | "People haven't fully made their minds up how to use their vote. I think there's a lot of people who don't want to vote Conservative and find us an attractive alternative." |
| At the 2005 general election, Gwyneth Dunwoody won the seat for Labour with a 7,078 majority. | At the 2005 general election, Gwyneth Dunwoody won the seat for Labour with a 7,078 majority. |
| But a survey of 1,001 adults in Crewe and Nantwich by ComRes for the Independent, published on Tuesday, gave the Conservatives a 13 point lead on 48%, compared with Labour's 35% and the Lib Dems on 12%. | But a survey of 1,001 adults in Crewe and Nantwich by ComRes for the Independent, published on Tuesday, gave the Conservatives a 13 point lead on 48%, compared with Labour's 35% and the Lib Dems on 12%. |
| Meanwhile MPs from all parties have condemned Virgin Trains, after many of them were delayed on their journey to Crewe on Monday by a signal failure. | Meanwhile MPs from all parties have condemned Virgin Trains, after many of them were delayed on their journey to Crewe on Monday by a signal failure. |
| Liberal Democrat MP Lembit Opik has tabled a Commons motion, saying that whoever wins Thursday's by-election "will not have been assisted by Virgin Trains". | Liberal Democrat MP Lembit Opik has tabled a Commons motion, saying that whoever wins Thursday's by-election "will not have been assisted by Virgin Trains". |
| The motion is also signed by the former Conservative transport minister Peter Bottomley, and Labour MPs Alan Simpson, Lynn Jones and Ann Cryer, and the independent Labour MP Bob Wareing. | The motion is also signed by the former Conservative transport minister Peter Bottomley, and Labour MPs Alan Simpson, Lynn Jones and Ann Cryer, and the independent Labour MP Bob Wareing. |
| Here is a list of the 10 candidates for the Crewe and Nantwich by-election on Thursday 22 May: | Here is a list of the 10 candidates for the Crewe and Nantwich by-election on Thursday 22 May: |
| The Flying Brick - The Official Monster Raving Loony Party | The Flying Brick - The Official Monster Raving Loony Party |
| Tamsin Dunwoody - Labour | Tamsin Dunwoody - Labour |
| Gemma Garrett - Independent | Gemma Garrett - Independent |
| Mike Nattrass - UK Independence Party | Mike Nattrass - UK Independence Party |
| David Roberts - English Democrats | David Roberts - English Democrats |
| Elizabeth Shenton - Liberal Democrats | Elizabeth Shenton - Liberal Democrats |
| Robert Smith - Green Party | Robert Smith - Green Party |
| Paul Thorogood - Cut Tax on Petrol and Diesel | Paul Thorogood - Cut Tax on Petrol and Diesel |
| Edward Timpson - Conservatives | Edward Timpson - Conservatives |
| Mark Walklate - Independent | Mark Walklate - Independent |