Voting For a New Britain: Campaigns Briefing - 8 Days to Go

IN SCOTLAND, Labour promised property reforms which would give communities the right to to buy the land on which they live. The Liberal Democrats published asurvey which, they said, showed Labour was not delivering on its health promises. Conservatives continued their attack on university tuition fees, publishing a Bill for their abolition which they said should be introduced in the first session of the Scottish Parliament.

LABOUR IS on course to hold the marginal Monmouth seat. An NOP poll for the television company HTV gives Labour 40 per cent of the vote, the Tories 33 per cent, Lib Dems 10 per cent, Plaid Cymru 9 per cent and the "Monmouthshire candidate" 8 per cent.

TWO MILLIONAIRES have donated pounds 100,000 to help the Scottish Tories. Sir Graham Kirkham and Lord Harris of Peckham each gave pounds 50,000. Labour received pounds 50,000 from the AEEU and pounds 25,000 from the TGWU.

WELSH BAND The Manic Street Preachers have refused to allow one of their songs to be used by Labour in the assembly elections. It contains a quote from Aneurin Bevan: "This is my truth, tell me yours". Apparently the Manics' lyricist, Nicky Wire, is more Old than New Labour and is disgusted with the party's rightward shift.

"I THINK it's extraordinary in 1999 to think you can solve problems by bombing" - Alex Salmond, SNP leader.