Oldham swinging from Labour, Lib Dems claim

AS Labour leader Ed Miliband visited Oldham for the third time yesterday the Lib Dems claimed that they were "edging ahead" in the by-election battle for the constituency.

• Labour leader Ed Miliband visits Oldham East and Saddleworth with Debbie Abrahams, candidate in Thursday's by-election. Photograph: PA

Liberal candidate Elwyn Watkins was joined by two coalition ministers on the campaign trail and party officials were upbeat about their chances, despite accusations that they have sold out to the Tories.

The energy minister Chris Huhne and communities minister Andrew Stunell were with Watkins as he canvassed voters in the seat, which will see the first by-election since the Conservative/Lib Dem coalition came to power.

Labour's Phil Woolas won the seat with just 103 votes more than Watkins at May's general election. But Woolas was stripped of his seat after a specially convened election court ruled that he falsely claimed his Lib Dem opponent had attempted to "woo" the votes of Muslim extremists.

It was the first such ruling in 99 years.

Woolas was banned from standing for elected office for three years and the by-election was called.

Yesterday a Lib Dem spokesman said: "If it had been a fair fight, Labour would have lost by between two and three thousand votes. That's why they resorted to their disgraceful methods. It is a tight fight between the Lib Dems and Labour, but we are getting the impression from the doorsteps that we are edging ahead."

Miliband was in the Oldham East and Saddleworth seat to support Labour's candidate Debbie Abrahams, a healthcare professional.