Tory chief: Kicking off campaign proper

Michael Howard has launched his party's bid for government with a push for floating voters across the country.

Addressing party supporters in London ahead of Tony Blair's formal announcement of a May 5 election, Howard said he was set for the fight ahead.

"The choice before voters on May 5 is very clear. They can either reward Mr Blair for eight years of broken promises and vote for another five years of talk," he said.

"Or they can vote Conservative, to support a party that has taken a stand and is committed to action on the issues that matter to hard-working Britons."

Public services

And in a bid to outmanoeuvre Labour, Howard took the opening assault of the campaign to public services.

"We can afford world class public services – the good, local schools and clean hospitals that hard-working Britons deserve. There is a better way," said Howard.

"By rewarding people who do the right thing – who play by the rules - we will build a brighter, better future for our country.

"We will reward hard-working Britons who do the right thing by giving them value for money and lower taxes. We will restore discipline in our classrooms by giving head teachers control over their schools.

"We will clean up our hospitals by giving matrons the power to close wards that are infected with MRSA. 

"We will cut crime by each year putting 5000 more police officers – real police officers – on our streets and introducing tougher sentences for burglars and drug dealers.

"We will reduce immigration by setting an annual limit on the number of people who can come and settle in Britain."

To the regions

The Conservative leader is set to zig zag across the country, visiting London,