SHADOW foreign secretary William Hague visited the Heath Business and Technical Park in Runcorn.

The former Conservative party leader joined Weaver Vale hopeful Graham Evans at the science hub last week lauded the site as an ‘inspiring story’.

Having toured the Heath Business and Technical Park (BTP), former Conservative leader William Hague gave a speech to a packed lecture theatre and spoke to the site’s directors about their expansion plans.

Mr Hague, who will be responsible for promoting UK interests overseas if the Conservatives triumph in the General Election, said: “I think it really is an inspiring story of how businesses can be developed and how science and skills can be kept together.

“It’s one I certainly did not know enough about.

“Now I want to make sure that George Osborne and Ken Clarke hear about what you have done here and told me about this morning.

“You have done all of this in a way that provides great employment and use of skills here in the North West without Government subsidies – in fact you have been subsiding the Government for the past 10 years.

“You are paying into the economy rather than taking out of it and that really is a model that we have to follow in other areas in the future.

“I hope a lot can be learned from what you have been achieving. I’m sure it can be and, if we are in Government, we will want to encourage that.”

Graham Evans, Conservative parliamentary prospective MP added: “ William Hague was brilliant, he spoke for 20 minutes to a captivated audience in a packed auditorium with standing room only.”

nDEFENCE Secretary Bob Ainsworth met Airbus employees in Broughton to reconfirm the Labour Government’s commitment to the A400M.

He was joined at the Broughton factory by Labour candidates for Delyn and Alyn and Deeside, David Hanson and Mark Tami.

The Defence Secretary praised the workforce at the Broughton site and led discussions over the Government’s recent agreement with EADS to buy 22 A400M military transport aircraft.

Mr Tami said: “This Labour Government continues to support hi-tech manufacturing jobs in the area and last year’s £340m Labour Government loan will create and sustain more than 1,000 jobs at Airbus UK’s Broughton plant.”

nENERGY and Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband together with Labour’s Chester candidate Christine Russell visited Upton by Chester High School yesterday (Wednesday).

They toured the school’s new International Learning Centre and answered questions from students about climate changes issues.

Labour believes that by tackling climate change and reducing waste we can drive economic growth, make Britain more energy independent, and make it easier for people to live in greener ways.

Mr Milliband said: “Labour is committed to a greener, smarter, even more skilled Britain. That is why we have pledged to create around 400,000 new green jobs by 2015.”

nFORMER deputy prime minister John Prescott, pictured, joined Chester’s Labour parliamentary candidate Christine Russell on the campaign trail.

Mr Prescott, who grew up in Chester, knocked on doors in Saughall with the canvassing team last Friday and tried to persuade electors to vote Labour on May 6