A LABOUR candidate in Medway Council River ward by-election got a boost when a party big-shot and leadership front-runner lent his support.

Ed Miliband stopped off in Brompton last Wednesday afternoon to help prospective councillor John Jones canvass ahead of the by-election on August 12.

Leadership contender: Ed Miliband, flanked by former Gillingham and Rainham MP Paul Clarke brought his campaign for the Labour leadership to Twydall Labour Club on Tuesday night CHEM210710miliband-4.JPG
Speaking from the heart: Ed Miliband set out his leadership credentials and traditional Labour values at Twydall Labour Club CHEM210710miliband-2.JPG
Keen listener: Mr Miliband emphasised the need for inter-party debate if Labour are to regain power CHEM210710miliband-1.JPG
Question time: Ed Miliband was happy to take questions from local Labour party members on Tuesday night at Twydall Labour Club CHEM210710miliband-3.JPG

The election was prompted by the resignation of Bill Esterson, who was elected MP for Sefton Central, near Liverpool in the general election in May. Busy Mr Miliband shot straight across town to Twydall Labour Club in Twydall Lane to talk to party members and forward his own leadership campaign before boarding a train back to Westminster.

Mr Miliband said: "It is very, very important to return a Labour councillor in place of Bill.

"There are four and a half thousand Labour councillors across the country. They are the engine of Labour because they have actually got some power."

Recalling a meeting with a low-paid cinema supervisor called Steve at the Melville Estate earlier in the day, Mr Miliband set out his stall for the Labour leadership.

He said: "We did great things as a government, by introducing a minimum wage for Steve, by introducing tax credits for Steve, but we did not do enough for Steve."

It was necessary, he said, to be self-critical as a party. "When you lose an election, if you say, look, the show was great but the audience was poor, you are going to lose more elections," he said.

Other candidates standing in the River ward by-election so far confirmed are: David Craggs, Conservative; Garry Harrison, Liberal Democrat; Steven Keevil, Green Party; Brian Ravenscroft, British National Party; and Ron Sands, English Democrat.