LABOUR’S Alan Johnson visited Otley this week and told supporters they were approaching a ‘watershed’ General Election.

The party’s former Health and Home Secretary spoke to a packed meeting at the Philip Coyne Labour Rooms on Tuesday.

In town to support the campaign of Labour’s Leeds North West candidate, Alex Sobel, Mr Johnson disputed the Conservative Party’s claims that it had steered the economy to recovery.

The former Shadow Chancellor said: “If you’d replaced the ministers with a sack of spuds over the last five years, you would expect some eventual growth, but the spuds would probably have done it faster.”

Discussing Labour’s economic plan for the next five years, he said the party was committed to increasing spending on infrastructure projects which would create jobs, increase tax revenues, boost the economy and help reduce the deficit in a fairer way.

He added: “Make no mistake, this is a watershed election in terms of the direction the country goes in over the next five years.”

Meanwhile a plan for Otley has been launched by the local Labour Party.

The document focuses on six areas: delivering services, health, wellbeing and education, community and civic pride, promoting the local economy, jobs and opportunities, and “making Otley better for all”.

John Eveleigh, the Labour candidate for Ashfield ward who has led the council for the past four years, said: “Many residents have got in touch to say how much they appreciate a detailed and positive plan.

“I think everyone will agree that that a great deal of thought has gone into our long-term plan to make a Otley a vibrant, successful town to live and work in.”