LABOUR opted to use an MP from south London to launch its North-East election campaign as the region's big hitters took the battle to other parts of the country.

While the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives wheeled out some of their biggest guns at set piece events, it was left to Labour's Housing Minister, Keith Hill, who represents Streatham, to support its candidates in key North-East seats.

Campaign chief and Darlington MP Alan Milburn was in London, putting the Government message across on BBC Radio Four.

Chief Whip Hilary Armstrong, MP for North West Durham, was involved in discussions about the Government's remaining legislative programme.

So it was left to Mr Hill, who, after a late arrival, visited a housing project in Blaydon, where he launched an attack on the Liberal Democrats' housing proposals.

He said: "We have made a commitment to make all social housing decent by 2010 at a cost of some £42bn. Will the Lib Dems match that pledge?"

Last night, a Labour spokesman said their opening salvoes had been deliberately low-key.

He said: "We wanted this week to be low-key. We want to meet real people, going out to communities and talking to voters and that is what Keith Hill has been doing, not walking up and down Northumberland Street for the benefit of photographers."

The first of Labour's big guns - Solicitor General Harriet Harman - is expected to add her weight to the campaign in the region today when she visits Durham.

Labour is defending a 13,400 majority in Durham City, where candidate Roberta Blackman-Woods said she was confident of seeing off the Liberal Democrat challenge.

As she opened her campaign headquarters in the city's Market Place, the 48-year-old mother-of-one said she would campaign on what Labour had delivered for the city.

"That's a strong and vibrant economy, record investment in schools and hospitals, and also a very significant commitment to regeneration, including regeneration of the coalfields communities," she said.