Crewe candidates call in the big guns for final push

William Hague, Jack Straw and Simon Hughes all turned up in Crewe and Nantwich on this final weekend of campaigning

As you'd expect it was a jam-packed final weekend of political figures, campaigning and rousing speeches. We even had a 2-for-1 special on candidates at one local supermarket.

It all started on Friday with William Hague's visit to Crewe. Now Hague wasn't a particularly successful Tory leader and yet subsequent years have been kind. His hair hasn't gown back but his profile has risen and he has become a bit of a celebrity.

And his appearance went down a treat around Crewe market. People flocked to speak with him and the Conservative candidate, Edward Timpson. One local lass even gushed that she'd never met someone famous before. As a local journalist pointed out, perhaps she still hadn't...

But Hague's a polished act. His appearance was a catalyst for other voters to approach Timpson. He's grown in confidence over the last 10 days, no longer looking dazzled by the political headlights that have been trained on the town.

What took me by surprise was the willingness of some Labour voters to switch across the great divide, happy to overlook the middle-ground Lib Dems. That wouldn't have happened a decade ago.

Across town I also joined the Labour candidate, Tamsin Dunwoody, as she took a lower-profile assignment to meet kids who had just finished their Sats. They had an ice-cream picnic, swapped stories and hugged. Touching and, as ever, they all warmed to the lady. In other circumstances Dunwoody would romp this election.

On Saturday Dunwoody called in the artillery. A grey day, light drizzle and the politicians having to compete with local rock bands preparing for the inaugural Crewe Live 08 event.

Jack Straw brought his own loudspeaker and set himself up on Crewe's Victoria Street to deliver an old-school soapbox speech. He was impressive.

He was also well received. He knows his stuff and even challenged a couple of Tory hecklers to answer a few questions. They couldn't. A point to Labour.

The major signing of the weekend was also with Labour. As part of his delivery, Straw revealed that Man Utd boss Alex Ferguson had lent his support to Dunwoody's campaign, even holding up a poster to prove the point. "Come on you reds..."

The Lib Dems welcomed Simon Hughes back to Crewe. This time it was at an Asda superstore where an awkward moment saw his candidate Elizabeth Shenton's team cruising the meat isle while Dunwoody and telly star John Michie (ITV's DI Ross from Taggart) were picking a few veg.

The TV cop might come in handy as the election campaign took a sinister turn over the weekend.

A number of placards and boards have been ripped down from voters' gardens, with a suspicious white van seen speeding off from the scene. The party that can recruit Hercule Poirot might have the best chance of cracking this case.