Election coverage

Cameron back on the stump in Norwich

Conservative leader David Cameron made it a hat-trick of visits to Norwich in support of his party's battle to win one of the city's parliamentary seats yesterday and this time his sights were set on securing the grey vote.

Mr Cameron joined Chloe Smith, his party's candidate in the Norwich North by-election, with visits to Marion Road Day Centre in Thorpe Hamlet and Warren Care Home in Sprowston.

Mr Cameron talked to Phil Wells, the chief executive of Age Concern Norwich, who organised the event at Marion Road.

He and Miss Smith then joined a group of pensioners who use the day centre, chatting to them about council tax, benefits, pensioners having to sell their homes to pay for care, croquet, silver surfers and Marks and Spencer.

After asking the pensioners what they would do if they were Gordon Brown for the day, he said: “We say freeze the council tax. If we can't cut it at least we should freeze it for a couple of years until we can come up with something better. Link it back to earnings, that's what I think we need to do.”

When he asked one pensioner where she shopped and she replied Marks and Spencer Mr Cameron said he felt the retail giant used too much packaging.

Mr Wells said: “It was a great opportunity to speak to someone who might be the next Prime Minister. My main concern, which I raised with him, was about the future of social care.

“The future of the country's social care system is close to collapse because of the increasing number of elderly people and the fact they are living for a longer time, often with health problems.”

Later Mr Cameron visited Warren Care Home in Sprowston where residents took part in a question and answer session with him and Miss Smith.

Bob Blizzard, Waveney MP and Labour's Norwich North by-election spokesman, said: “David Cameron's opposition to Labour's fiscal stimulus would have meant less support for Norwich pensioners in the past and his cuts agenda could put these measures at risk in the future.”

Mr Cameron was making his third visit to the city since Labour MP Ian Gibson's resignation after he was caught up in the MP expenses scandal, triggered July 24's by-election.

But he dismissed suggestions his repeated visits to the city suggested the Conservatives were worried about their chances in Norwich North.

He said: “We take nothing for granted.”

Another party leader making a rapid return to Norwich was Liberal Democrat Nick Clegg. He visited his party's headquarters in Alston Road to back Lib Dem candidate April Pond.