By-election campaigns turn dirty

Labour's attempts to fend off the Liberal Democrats and the prospect of humiliating defeat in two Midlands by-elections have become mired in personal accusations.

A Labour leaflet issued this weekend in the Birmingham constituency of Hodge Hill attacks the Liberal Democrat candidate for her alleged role in helping to get mobile phone masts built.

Labour activists will see the personal tone of the attack as retaliation for the way Liberal Democrats criticised their candidate in Leicester South, Sir Peter Soulsby, a week earlier. Sir Peter was denounced as "the person most noted for awarding himself fat cat pay rises when he was the top Labour man on Leicester council and for the massive council tax rises he inflicted on local residents".