by political editor Paul Francis

Labour leader Ed Miliband has admitted his party has a mountain to climb to recover its position as a political force in Kent.

But despite his candid assessment, he said he was determined there should be no ‘no go’ zones in Kent, where the political map turned completely blue at the general election and every council is run by the Conservatives.

Speaking on a visit to Deal today, where he spent time talking to staff at a local Citizens' Advice Bureau facing possible budget cuts, he said: "I think we have a long way to come back in this area and I’m conscious we have a mountain to climb.

"We are fighting incredibly hard across the south east because I think it is important there are no ‘no go’ zones.

"I want us to win back the trust of people in the south and I think the issues we are raising, such as the squeeze on people’s living standards, are very real."

He refused to be drawn into predicting whether Labour was poised to gain any councils in Kent on May 5 and also conceded that had Labour won the general election, its spending plans would have meant some cuts.

"I want to make gains but I am not into the business of forecasting. I’m in the business of going out and winning the argument and if people think the country is heading in the wrong direction and the scale of the cuts is a real problem in areas like this, then I hope they will turn out and vote Labour."

He also rounded on the Conservative housing minister Grant Shapps, who claimed Labour councils were hoarding rainy day money at the same time as cutting services.

"It is nonsense. Instead of blaming councils for cuts, the government should be accepting their responsibilities. It is Lib Dem and Conservative councils "

Asked what a Labour government would be doing differently to help salvage something from the closure of the Pfizer plant in Sandwich, he said: "You need a real focus on every area of manufacturing that matters to Britain.

"The Pfizer decision is very disappointing. One of the lessons we have to learn is that from the financial crisis is the need to have a broad industrial basis."

But he said he had doubts about the prospect of an enterprise zone for east Kent: "I’m all in favour of anything that will help an area. I am personally a bit sceptical that the scale of intervention needed will be met by enterprise zones."

Later, Mr Miliband met people in Gravesend as he walked around the town centre.