Tory troops out in force for Chris Philp

A BATTALION of Conservative troops hit the streets of Hampstead and Kilburn on Monday to persuade people to vote for their candidate Chris Philp. Around 35 MPs including Nick Hurd, David Burrowes, Ed Vaizey, Mark Francois and Andrew Lansley joined Mr Phil

A BATTALION of Conservative troops hit the streets of Hampstead and Kilburn on Monday to persuade people to vote for their candidate Chris Philp.

Around 35 MPs including Nick Hurd, David Burrowes, Ed Vaizey, Mark Francois and Andrew Lansley joined Mr Philp to canvass residents in a bid to win the seat.

Mr Philp said: "It went really well. We had 35 MPs turn up throughout the day and around 30 volunteers. We got a lot done really focusing on Queen's Park and Brondesbury. It really shows how seriously the party nationally are taking this seat that they shipped in so many people to help.

"We got a great response from residents, many of whom have voted Labour or Liberal Democrat in the past but are fed up with Gordon Brown.

"We only need one in 15 voters to switch sides for us to win the seat which requires a very small change in opinion."

But the Lib Dems parliamentary candidate, Ed Fordham, claimed he pipped the Conservatives to the post hitting the streets at 6am with a team of 30 volunteers to deliver leaflets to homes across the area and get signatures for a petition against the tube ticket office closures.