“WE’LL turn Southampton blue.”

That was the message from a senior Government figure as he joined the campaign trail in Southampton.

Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond paid a visit to Hampshire where he spent time drumming up support for local Conservative candidates.

He spent more than an hour on the campaign trail with Tory Southampton Itchen hopeful Royston Smith, door knocking surprised residents in the Bitterne area to talk about their concerns and leaflet dropping.

And, with two of the three Southampton seats up for grabs currently in Labour hands, he said the Conservatives are hoping to turn Southampton blue in the General Election.

Mr Hammond admitted Southampton Itchen was a “key target”

for the Tories as one of its most marginal seats, where they expected to turn around the 192 majority.

He said Labour would not have the benefit of having the current MP John Denham, who is standing down, and Mr Smith had been working hard in the area to build support since the last election.

“Clearly this is a seat we can win,” he said.

Daily Echo:

“Our own vote is holding firm – what we have to do is persuade those undecided.

Asked if the Conservatives hoped to win all three Southampton seats up for grabs, two of which are currently in Labour control, he said: “We’ll turn it blue, paint it blue.”

Mr Hammond was later in Hedge End, lending his support to Tory candidate for Eastleigh Mims Davies, joining her as she knocked on doors and talked to residents.

His visit came as the Conservatives announced their pledge of an extra £8bn a year on the NHS by 2020, which Mr Hammond said would be felt on the frontline in Southampton.

He said some of the money would likely go towards recruitment of more nursing staff to reduce reliance on agency workers, more money for drugs and new, more sophisticated treatments.

Mr Smith said if elected he would campaign for this increased funding to go towards improving local facilities like GP surgeries to take pressure off hospital accident and emergency departments and so healthcare was more focused on “prevention”.

He said he would continue to support the continuation of the Bitterne Walk-in Centre, potentially through introducing new services.

Rowenna Davis, Labour candidate, said: “The people of Southampton have consistently rejected the Tories, at the last General Election and by throwing them out of the council.

“The people of Southampton will decide who wins on May 7, not a Tory minister from London.”

She added the last five years under Conservative leadership had seen longer GP waiting times, an A&E at breaking point and privatised services.

“It’s extraordinary that the Conservatives think that they can get away with this huge, unfunded promise,” she said.

Responding to Mr Hammond’s hopes for Southampton voters Kim Rose, UKIP’s candidate, said: “In his dreams.

“I’ve been here all my life and the support and love and warmth is tremendous.”