ED MILIBAND yesterday vowed to return to East Lancashire before May 7 to help take back two key marginal seats from the Conservatives.

The opposition leader said his party could “absolutely” win the Pendle seat as well as Rossendale and Darwen at the General Election.

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Mr Miliband guaranteed to return to boost local activists, promising Labour would bring jobs and prosperity to East Lancashire and end its position as one of the UK’s most deprived areas.

In an exclusive interview with the Lancashire Telegraph, he promised more cash for troubled East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust and powers for North-West councils.

He came to BAE Systems Samlesbury plant to see the top-secret F35 Lightning workshop and the Eurofighter Typhoon production line and meet apprentices.

Lancashire Telegraph:

FOOTBALL VISIT: Ed Miliband at Turf Moor, Burnley with prospective Labour candidates Azhar Ali and Julie Cooper

Then at Nelson and Colne College he met voters, supporting Labour candidate Azhar Ali’s bid to win Pendle back from Tory MP Andrew Stephenson, who won by 3,585 votes in 2010, followed by a visit to Turf Moor where he met Burnley’s Labour candidate, Julie Cooper.

Jake Berry took Rossendale and Darwen from Labour by 4,493 in the same election.

Winning the “weather-vane” seats is crucial to Labour’s chances of forming the next government.

Mr Miliband said: “BAE systems offers hundreds of apprenticeships and thousands of highly skilled jobs and we need more of these jobs in the North West.

“Too many ordinary people live in an economy where they just can’t make ends meet.

“I see a recovery that may have reached the City of London but has not reached people’s kitchen tables.

“We’ve got a plan to turn that round, to raise the minimum wage to more than £8 an hour, deal with the problem of zero-hours contracts, give apprenticeships to the next generation, opportunities for our young people and rescue the NHS.”

Lancashire Telegraph:

FACT FINDING: Mr Miliband meets employees during a visit to BAE

Mr Miliband dismissed poor opinion polls by saying: “We’ve got 77 days to find out if the public believe in Labour and that’s why I’m going round the country.

“In Pendle, I’m taking questions from the members of the public but not a hand-picked Labour audience.

“We’re actually going out and talking to people, not necessarily Labour people, because we’ve got to convince people.

“I think, like lots of parts of our country, East Lancashire found while government ministers go on about the recovery, people think ‘Hang on, the recovery hasn’t reached my door’ and that’s what we’ve got to change.”

Asked if he would be back in East Lancashire before election day, Mr Miliband said: “Absolutely. Absolutely. I guarantee it.

“We can absolutely take back Rossendale and Darwen and Pendle. What I care most about is people and what kind of future they’re going to have. I think this is a big stakes election. I’m confident we can turn things round as a different government with a different approach.”

On tackling deprivation, he said: “The most important thing is to take resources and power out of London and Westminster and have things decided locally.

“There have been unfair cuts in funding to North West councils compared to wealthier areas. We will bring back fair funding.”

Asked if Labour would provide extra cash for East Lancashire’s Hospitals, Mr Miliband said: “Yes, I can guarantee an increase in funding.

“That why we have set plans for a £2.5 million Time to Care fund, funded from a ‘mansion tax’ on the most expensive homes, clamping down on tax avoidance, and money from the tobacco companies.”

Both BAE Systems managers and apprentices were delighted to see Mr Miliband. Head of operations for the F35, Jonathan Evans from Clitheroe said: “It’s really important senior politicians see manufacturing and apprenticeships at first hand.”

Technical apprentice Daniel Hogan , 21, from Accrington, said: “It was good to see him. He seems down to earth. I’m more likely to vote Labour now.”