The by-election in Sedgefield

From: Channel 4 News

The by-election in Sedgefield for Tony Blair's successor is a battle for the interests of the constituency which many say had taken a back seat under the tenure of the last prime minister.

The battle to replace Tony Blair was beset with talk over Gordon Brown's plans for Iraq, the Atlantic Alliance, and the NHS. However while Blair's national legacy is widely held to be the unravelling conflict in Iraq, it appears his local legacy was the inability to help overhaul a shopping centre.

The fight to succeed the former PM in his Sedgefield constituency has been over a more everyday issue - the state of Newton Aycliffe town centre.

The north east town's near 30,000 population is desperate for its tatty precinct to be given a facelift and by-election candidates have been battling it out to prove they are the men to fix it.

Tory candidate Graham Robb, a 43-year-old former BBC broadcaster, echoed the campaign theme, saying: "The town centre is in a shocking state, it is appalling.

"I've drawn up plans to develop a partnership to deliver a renewal of the town centre, including a new health centre."

Lib Dem candidate Greg Stone, a 32-year-old regeneration expert, has also waded into the debate, claiming it is a "huge issue" which needs to be resolved.

£25m scheme
A £25m scheme to revamp the ailing shopping centre has floundered, costing Labour seats on both the local town and district councils.

The scheme was tied into plans for new facilities such as a health centre and a library, all of which has left Labour's Phil Wilson - who constantly reminds voters that he 'grew up and lives in the area', trying to explain why Blair never combated the issue.

The former PM did get involved in discussions in the last few months of his tenure - but for many it was 24 years too late.

Mr Wilson, 48, a former trade union official, said: "There's no point in looking back on what should or shouldn't have happened; there's always things you can improve on.

"We can talk till we are blue in the face about what should have happened; we need to take action now.

"I'm committed to improvements in the town centre, I'm the only candidate who has said they'll have their constituency office there."

Outside the localised issue of the shopping centre and on a broader constituency basis - opposition candidates have campaigned hard on the "taken for granted" ticket: the notion that Blair forgot about his safe Labour seat while he was in Number 10.

Labour supporters point to lower unemployment in the area and a new community hospital as examples of the benefits of having Blair as a local MP.


But it is the failing shopping centre which looms large as Thursday's by-election approaches to such an extent that a disillusioned shopkeeper and independent candidate Paul Gittins, who closed his shop because of the dire conditions he was working in, is tipped as a dark horse to beat the Tories into third spot.


Labour should win, but Blair's 18,000 majority may just be cut down a little by the Lib Dems.