Shadow chancellor Ed Balls swept into town to fire a broadside at Tory MP Michael Ellis.
The Labour MP made a flying visit to Northampton last Thursday where he met with a group of around 50 people to discuss what they thought of the economic, banking and jobs situation.
He was joined at the Saints’ ground for the meeting with prospective MP Sally Keeble and his party’s police commissioner candidate Lee Barron.
He said afterwards: “To be honest I didn’t know the name of the MP who currently represents Northampton North (Mr Ellis) and who Sally will be challenging. He doesn’t speak up for Northampton in Parliament.
“I am hoping to come back to Northampton three or four times in the run up to the general election.
Whether Northampton is doing well is important to the UK. It’s a real bellwether of a town and it matters very much to Labour.” Mr Balls added that he appreciated the support Conservative, and South Northants MP Andrea Leadsom had shown him over Chancellor George Osborne’s claims he was involved in the rate-fixing scandal.
He said: “I have had just as many Conservative as Labour MPs come up to me and say he should apologise.
This is not a party issue; when a Government minister says something that turns out to be untrue he should withdraw it.
“I have respect for her saying publicly what many others have said privately.”
