Labour's Simon Speller claims that building 10,000 homes to the west of Stevenage is the only sensible way to protect rural areas from spectulative development.

The Labour candidate, in his election literature, says "any other approach ignores the realities - that we need to meet local needs for homes and jobs in a high-priced area like Hertfordshire - including for teachers, care-workers and the police".

Mr.Speller also trumpets the government's record, saying that the number of unemployed has fallen by 50% and pointing to the £1.2m moderenisation of the A&E departments at both the Lister and QEII hospitals in Stevenage and Welwyn Garden City.

Labour polled 31% of the vote in 1997 after a 13.5% swing to the party from the Conservatives.

Background

The constituency of which Hertford is a part has been represented by Conservative MP Bowen Wells since 1979, but his retirement from parliament means that the Conservatives are fielding Mark Prisk to contest the seat. The last Labour MP for the town was [Dame] Shirley Williams.

Hertford and Stortford is currently 64th on the Labour list of target seats and 133rd on the Liberal Democrat list. The last election saw a swing of 13.5% to Labour.

Information from the parties about their local campaigns can be found using the following links:-

Hertfordshire Labour Party
The Liberal Democrats in Hertfordshire
Hertford & Stortford Conservative Association
Hertfordshire Conservatives