Last updated 13:29, Thursday, 21 August 2008

By Richard Herbert

LABOUR MP John Hutton and his Tory rival John Gough are locked in a row about how well their parties have run the country.

The pair clashed after Conservative leader David Cameron came to Barrow last week.

He was at the town’s Lisdoonie Hotel to answer questions from the public and spell out what his party would do for people if it took over from Labour by winning the next general election and ousting current PM Gordon Brown.

But Furness MP Mr Hutton was not going to sit back and say nothing of the top Tory’s visit to his patch. Mr Hutton said: “People in this area haven’t forgotten what happened to us when the Conservatives were in power.

“High unemployment, schools, hospitals, roads and many other vital services were all denied much-needed investment.

“Now, we have the lowest unemployment for a generation, the highest employment levels, lower waiting times for operations, improved access to GPs’ surgeries and investment in our schools and colleges.

“Mr Cameron might be a good salesman. But, compared to what Labour are already delivering in this area, he is selling a second-rate product.”

Now, Mr Gough – the Conservative hoping to beat Mr Hutton at the next general election and take his job as Furness MP away from him – has hit back.

Mr Gough said: “Perhaps Mr Hutton has not been to Barrow recently and talked to local people.

“They are facing rising fuel and food prices and worries over their jobs. It’s ironic that Mr Hutton talks of high unemployment on the day that unemployment has topped 1.6m nationally, when inflation has topped five per cent and when fuel and food prices are rising faster still.

“Under Labour, local post offices have shut, local GP surgeries are shutting and we hear rumours of ward closures at Furness General (Hospital). People will remember this government for its dithering and indecision and total inability to understand the problems people face, never mind solve them.”