Why today's elections matter '“ and why you should vote Labour

The last few days and weeks have been unlike any I can remember in politics.

MPs from all parties are less popular than ever, and the media and certain politicians have been questioning Brown's authority and clamouring for a change of Prime Minister.

Yet this has little to do with today's elections. The elections today are for the country's county councils and European Parliament.

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At county level, Labour councils have consistently performed better than Tory ones. The top rated councils in the country are Labour '“ whilst some of those Tory councils most likely to stay safe have atrocious ratings, and awful levels of care services, adult education and treatment of vulnerable children. Clearly, it is still worth voting Labour in today's county council elections. And we can all see the positive effects of Hastings' Labour councillors over past years.

In Europe, Labour MEPs have been more effective than any other party. At the forefront of legislation on the environment, consumer affairs and the economy, Labour has worked hard to ensure that the necessary action is taken in areas where Britain cannot go it alone. Regarding MEPs' expenses they are the only group to have published their audit certificates for the past nine years, and have declared (unlike any other party) that they will publish their receipts every six months.

Meanwhile, the Tories' leader and whip resigned last year over an expenses scandal, and UKIP have had one MEP go to jail for nine months for benefit fraud (South-East MEP Ashley Mote); another in a current court case accused of false accounting and money laundering; and a third, Robert Kilroy-Silk, abusing his position by appearing on I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here, whilst still an MEP. And again, no other party '“ Conservative, Lib Dem, UKIP or Green '“ will publish its receipts.

Today's elections matter. I share people's anger at the recent expenses scandal '“ but it is not our hard-working councillors or MEPs who have been 'on the make'. If we are not careful, some of those who have wasted taxpayers' money may well end up getting elected.