The eastern region is 'absolutely central' to Labour's efforts to regain power at the next general election, Ed Miliband told local delegates tonight.
Admitting that the party's results had been 'terrible' in the region in 2010 - when it was reduced to two seats - he said: 'You are absolutely at the top of the battleground, and you will be receiving lots of attention at the next general election'.
Mr Miliband was addressing a Labour eastern region reception at the party conference in Liverpool, and was followed by shadow chancellor Ed Balls, who is the party's official 'champion' for the region.
Emphasising that Labour would need to win 10 more seats in it next time to regain office, he said that for people worrying about the state of the world economy and their own jobs, Labour was the only way forward.
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