LABOUR’S campaign for the local elections across the region has been officially launched by shadow cabinet minister Liam Byrne.

Mr Byrne launched his party’s efforts in Ipswich, where the party has high hopes of ending six and a half years of Conservative/LibDem administration.

But he also spoke of his hope of attracting voters dissatisfied with the coalition government in Westminster who might not be natural Labour supporters.

He said: “The fact is that Labour is now the only mainstream opposition to the government and we know that a lot of people out there are concerned by the effects of government policies which are being implemented through local authorities.

“There are many people living on low incomes in rural areas who are seeing the services they rely on being attacked and we are the party who will stand up for them.”

As well as Ipswich, Labour will be hoping to do well in Waveney and to make gains in other towns across the region – in the last local elections Labour was almost eliminated from the map of the rural districts.

No Labour members were elected in Babergh or Mid Suffolk, although the party’s Tony Bavington returned to Babergh in a by-election last year.

Mr Byrne was the minister who famously left a note for his successor after Labour lost the general election saying: “There is no more money!”

However as he met Labour activists from Ipswich, he said they should not be looking for any notes from the current administration at the borough if they took control in May.

He laughed as he said: “I’m sure the Labour team her, whom I have met today, will be quite capable of making the right decisions without taking any advice from the current administration!”