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Liam Fox launches Conservative
manifesto

by political editor Paul Francis

Conservative plans to give people
greater powers to run schools, parts of the NHS and other community
services have been defended by the latest member of David Cameron's
top team to hit Kent on the campaign trail.

Liam Fox, shadow defence minister,
rejected claims the Conservative pledge to set up community
co-operatives - a central theme of the party's manifesto - would
create more bureaucracy and fail to interest residents.

Speaking on a visit to Aylesford,
near Maidstone, where he met World War Two veterans, Ghurka
soldiers and army cadets at the Capel Morris Community Centre, Mr
Fox said:

"I think there is a real appetite
for people to have more control over their own local services and
what happens to local government and their schools and
hospitals.Governments will always say that people don't want to do
it so we have to do it for them. Until we give them a chance, we
will not know just what talents we have."

He added: "We live in a different
world and people are not going to accept that there is only one way
of doing things. It will be very infectious and once you give
people these freedoms, no government will ever be able to take them
back."

He dismissed recent concerns
expressed by KCC Conservative leader Cllr Paul Carter about the
party's plans for free schools set up and run by parents.

"I do not think you can have a
problem with too great a choice and quality provision. Public
services are supposed to be there to serve the public, not serve
the bureaucracy. We cannot say we are going to give people choice
and then place restrictions on it because it might be more awkward
for people running the bureaucracy."

On the prospects of the party
winning Kent's marginal seats, he said: "I think there's a very
good chance that we will, but we are not taking anything for
granted."

Labour candidate for Chatham and
Aylesford Jonathan Shaw said: "The question is the detail of all
this. Of course we want to involve local people in running services
but it is how you involve them. People do lead busy lives and they
look to the council to do things like collect their rubbish and run
the leisure centre."

During his visit, Mr Fox chatted
with party candidates Tracey Crouch, who is contesting the Chatham
and Aylesford constituency and other Kent candidates.

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