THE so-called grey vote was the target of the Liberal Democrat's election campaign in Romsey when the party's former leader of the House of Lords dropped into town.

Shirley Williams, Baroness Williams of Crosby, came armed with the party's pledge of free personal care for the elderly.

She and Romsey's Lib Dem candidate Sandra Gidley arrived at sheltered home Abbeyfield House, in Mill Lane, in time for scones and tea with the residents - before politics hit the agenda.

"I am well aware that people deeply value their independence, and don't want to be dependent until they absolutely have to be," said Mrs Williams, a founder member of the Social Democratic Party, which later merged to become the Liberal Democrat party.

"We want to enable people to live independent lives. The Lib Dems have brought in personal healthcare if you live north of the border, and we want to do it here too."

Mrs Gidley added: "Some people need care with washing and dressing. They need that because they are ill, but they have to pay for it.

"We say it's not fair. You probably all have contributed all your lives, and you expect this care to be there for you in your old age."

There were nods of agreement all round - but when the debate was opened up for questions, the residents of Abbeyfield were concerned about dirty hospitals and pensions.

"How is it that in a country like Spain people pay all their government service pensions tax free?" asked 87-year-old Chris Clark.

"And when you go into hospital, you realise that the cleaning is totally inadequate and all this hand-washing gets only lip service."

Nurses' uniforms, doctors white coats and a team approach to cleanliness all came under the spotlight before the smell of lunch cooking wafted through the door, and it was time for the politicians to leave.

Mrs Gidley told the Daily Echo: "I am delighted that such an experienced politician as Mrs Williams, a former member of the Wilson and Callaghan governments, was able to visit Romsey during this election campaign."

Baroness Williams went on to visit Dibden Purlieu, part of the New Forest East constituency. She visited a hall in Lunedale Road and took part in a traditional political process known as "stuffing" - putting campaign leaflets into envelopes and posting them to electors.

Baroness Williams was joined by the Lib Dem candidate Brian Dash who is hoping to capture the seat from the Tories.

For more on the 2005 General Election campaign see pages 8 & 9 of today's Daily Echo.