Labour will today launch its summer campaign to turn back the tide of cynicism about the government with a health campaign designed to show how a cash boost of billions is improving health across the country. The campaign, kicked off by Alan Milburn, the health secretary, under the slogan "investing, not cutting", includes data showing how many nurses have been recruited or lured back to the profession since Labour came to power.
Labour sources stressed the campaign would be positive and aimed at local areas. A spokesman said: "Many voters do not relate to extra billions of pounds, but they do understand if we can show what this money will mean in terms of extra beds, nurses and doctors. We want to show that _ it is what happens to the health service and other public services on which the next election will be fought."
The campaign will run right through the summer and is in part intended to reconnect the sometimes disillusioned local parties with the government. Hundreds of Labour's local constituency parties have already ordered the literature from party headquarters at Millbank.
At the same time Labour will be challenging the Conservatives to say where the opposition would propose to cut back on public services, in light of the shadow chancellor's commitment not to spend as much as the Labour government over the next four years.
