MIKE Foster has received a ringing endorsement from Labour's election campaign chief.

Alan Milburn said the Worcester MP battles for residents and predicted that floating voters would be won over by the state of the country's economy.

He told the Evening News that he wanted a positive campaign setting out his party's agenda but suggested that recent adverts attacking Tory leader Michael Howard were a taster of things to come.

"Mike, I know from own experience with him when I was Health Secretary, is a very assiduous, extremely hard-working and experienced MP," said Mr Milburn.

"He fights for the constituents and has got a style of consulting with people."

Mr Milburn - who said he did not know when a General Election would be called - was brought back into the cabinet last September to run Labour's campaign race.

He criticised claims made by Tory Shadow Chancellor Oliver Letwin in yesterday's Evening News that his party would free up public services and allow them to increase spending.

"The election, whenever it comes, is not a referendum on one party. It is a choice between parties.

"I think people care passionately about the country and want to see progress take hold and continuing.

"The choice is about whether that continues or is put at risk - and it starts to be when you mess about with public finances which Oliver Letwin is prone to do."