Major to have top billing in poll fight

JOHN MAJOR yesterday raised the stakes over his embattled leadership by deciding to play a 'leading role' in the local election campaign.

Sir Norman Fowler, party chairman, insisted this would not be a referendum on the Prime Minister's leadership but Labour said it was a high-risk strategy which could prove to be a blunder if the Tories do badly on 5 May.

Mr Major will make weekly regional visits, and is likely to begin in the West Midlands, where the Tories had hoped to regain Birmingham City Council until a recent by-election victory by Labour. But Mr Major's soapbox is likely to remain indoors until the next general election.

Mr Major and ministers 'will be out campaigning in a way which is unprecedented outside a general election', Sir Norman said. Demands by Tory MPs for Mr Major's resignation will intensify if there is a further loss of support. Tory strategists expect to improve on their disastrous showing in 1990, and hope to benefit from the abolition of the poll tax.

However, they are expected to lose power in more outer London boroughs, while holding on to their 'flagships' of Wandsworth and Westminster.

Labour intends to campaign on national issues, and will tomorrow accuse the Prime Minister, on the second anniversary of his general election victory, of broken promises over tax rises.

The Chancellor, Kenneth Clarke, and Michael Portillo, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, were criticised last night for 'sunning themselves on the Mediterranean' as Britain suffered the imposition of VAT on electricity and gas bills. Jack Straw, local government spokesman, said it was disgraceful the Chancellor was in Greece and Mr Portillo, who is also in charge of the election campaign in London, was in Morocco.

A Treasury spokesman said: 'It is the recess, and although the Chancellor and the Chief Secretary are on holiday, it does not mean that the Treasury is not under ministerial control.'

Playing down chances, page 5