Coffee break interrupted

A Labour candidate gatecrashed Prime Minister Bill English’s coffee break in Blenheim yesterday with accusations of National supporters pulling down her campaign billboards.

English was at BV Gourmet when Labour candidate Janette Walker confronted National’s Kaiko¯ura campaign manager Tim Leslie. Her campaign signs near Marlborough Airport had been pulled down, and Walker claimed National supporters were behind the attack.

Walker’s accusations prompted an angry response from Leslie, normally National’s man behind the scenes for Kaiko¯ura.

‘‘I did not touch your signs,’’ Leslie is caught saying on camera, pointing his finger at Walker.

After Leslie left, Walker approached English, who shook her hand and they exchanged pleasantries about their campaigns, under the wary eyes of English’s diplomatic protection squad.

The rest of English’s time in Blenheim was comparatively quiet, visiting tractor drivers and a supermarket, then lunch put on by the Marlborough Chamber of Commerce at the Clubs of Marlborough.

’’It’s been a real pleasure getting around Blenheim, just seeing the pattern of growth and confidence,’’ English said.

English spoke to the region’s business leaders about the importance of a strong economy so the Government could afford to pay for the rebuild after natural disasters such as the Christchurch and Kaiko¯ura earthquakes. He was confident State Highway 1 would be open by Christmas.