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ELECTION COUNTDOWN By RICHARD OSLEY
 

From left, Councillor Nick Smith, Alastair Campbell, Labour Town Hall leader Raj Chada and Frank Dobson
Spin chief Campbell joins election fray

ALASTAIR Campbell, the spin-doctor who helped mastermind Tony Blair’s election victories in 1997 and 2002, was drafted in to help his local party at the launch of Labour’s campaign for the May local elections on Monday.
Mr Campbell, who lives in Gospel Oak, insisted that he had only turned up to the Irish Centre in Camden Town as a member of the local party.
But senior Labour figures are worried that their flagship borough – Camden is used to pilot numerous government policies – could lose their majority for the first time in 30 years. The presence of Mr Campbell has raised questions as to his involvement in the campaign and indicates how worried Labour in Camden are.
In a speech to members, Mr Campbell said that voters did not have to choose between “Labour and perfection”.
He added: “It is a choice between having a Labour council and having the Tories. It’s been between us and them.
“There is a lot of cynicism about government and councils and what they do but I’m proud to support the Labour government and the Labour council.
“What we need to do now is go out and say it. Be proud of what the Labour council has achieved and go and tell people about it.”
Asked whether his appearance indicated he was worried about Labour’s chances, Mr Campbell said: “Of course not. I’m here because I’m a Labour supporter.”
He took a clipboard around the crowd of around 100 members, asking whether they were willing to hand out leaflets or canvass door-to-door in the run-up to the ballot. Labour organisers insisted afterwards that he is not running the local campaign.
Camden’s Labour leader Raj Chada has urged Muslim voters at the elections not to punish the party for the invasion of Iraq.
He said that residents should judge the party on how it has performed in Camden, not on the government’s controversial foreign policy.
Distancing himself from the war in Iraq – supported by Mr Campbell – Councillor Chada said: “I was vehemently opposed to the war in Iraq. I publicly came out against the war in the New Journal. I wasn’t happy with it.
“But, in the council elections, people should vote on local issues and Labour’s track record of providing good public services.”
Camden Conservative deputy leader Andrew Marshall said he was surprised the Labour party had asked Mr Campbell to come along.
He said: “We are delighted that Alastair Campbell has associated himself with the Camden Labour launch because it demonstrates that the Labour group is closely associated with the Blair culture of spin. It will backfire, and I am amazed they did it.”
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