LABOUR took control of Lancashire in 1981, and apart from a four-year hung council in the 1980s has remained in power ever since.

But council leader Hazel Harding admits June 4 will be “undoubtedly” the toughest test of their support to date with Labour trailing the Tories in national opinion polls.

Coun Harding, who was first elected in 1985, said the scandal of MPs’ expenses was angering voters on the doorsteps - but urged them to put the national picture to one side.

She said: “My Labour council colleagues are as angry about the expenses thing as everyone else.

“It hasn’t respected party boundaries - people are saying they have doubts, but about all parties.

“It’s about saying to them that this is about local issues - we are not perfect but we are improving all the time.

“During my first years on the council people were voting Labour because many of them wanted to get rid of Margaret Thatcher.

We were honest and told them they wouldn’t do that by voting for us.”

The Rossendale North councillor will be defending one of the smallest majorities, 43, at County Hall on June 4.

She insisted: “I think we have got a lot to be proud of.

"In my first years on the council, under the Conservative government, we were only building one school a year, which is massively different to now.

"This government isn’t perfect, but we have had massive investment.”

Labour currently has 43 seats to the Conservatives’ 33.

The Liberal Democrats have four, with two independents.

There is also one Green Party councillor and one representing the Idle Toad party.

TOP PRIORITY
Giving Lancashire a sound economy. We want to attract jobs, small and medium sized companies and bring inward investment.

VOTE FOR US BECAUSE
We have experience, expertise and ideas to take Lancashire forward and provide a voice for the county.

WHAT WE WOULD CHANGE
Involve more local people in delivering council services.

KEY BATTLEGROUND
East Lancashire is always important to us, and there are interesting areas. There are two Liberal Democrat councils, which you have not got anywhere else.

WHAT WE WOULD DO ABOUT MPS’ EXPENSES
It’s about transparency. County councillors’ expenses are not decided by councillors —the problem with MPs is that a culture has built up where people are encouraged to claim what they can.