New Labour Party leader, Ed Miliband, has told The MJ he views a ‘strong and vibrant local government base' as an ‘essential' part of plans to transform his party and take on the coalition government.

Just hours before his first major speech as Labour leader on 28 September, Mr Miliband told The MJ: ‘A strong and vibrant local government base, well-connected to the party and our policy development, is an essential part of this fight to win back people's trust, and reconnect with the ordinary voices in communities in every corner of Britain.'