LIBERAL Democrat leader Charles Kennedy has pledged that his party's plans to introduce local income tax would not penalise Hampshire families.

On the campaign trail in Eastleigh on Wednesday, Mr Kennedy said that only 25 per cent of people would be worse off if local income tax replaced council tax.

He told the Daily Echo: "The Institute of Fiscal Studies, which is a respected independent body, said that 25 per cent of people would financially gain, 50 per cent would pay the same and 25 per cent would pay more but remember, all those people would only contribute based on their means."

Mr Kennedy chose the marginal Hampshire seat as one of his first ports of call in the general election battle, as reported in later editions of yesterday's Daily Echo.

Flanked by his party's candidates for Eastleigh, Romsey and New Forest East, he chose Hampshire's Rose Bowl cricket ground to unveil his party's Manifesto for Families.

The plans include extending pre-school and after-school care, offering new mothers a maternity income guarantee equivalent to the minimum wage of £170 per week for the first six months after the birth of their first child, and increasing nursery care for three-year-olds and four-year-olds.

On the second day of the general election campaign, Mr Kennedy took the opportunity to praise the work of Eastleigh Lib Dem MP David Chidgey, who is standing down, and the man who has the responsibility of trying to hold on to the seat for the party, Chris Huhne.

Mr Huhne is taking on Conservative Conor Burns and Labour candidate Chris Watt in Eastleigh.

He also praised Romsey MP Sandra Gidley, who is defending her Romsey seat with a majority of 2,370 against a strong Conservative challenge from Caroline Nokes and Labour's Matt Stevens.

He said: "David has been a valued colleague and friend and he has worked hard for the people of Eastleigh. I will expect no more from our candidate here, Chris Huhne.

"At the last election across the region the people chose seven Liberal Democrat MPs to represent them including Sandra Gidley in Romsey.

"At this election with candidates like Brian Dash in New Forest East, I believe that people will return more Liberal Democrat MPs."

Mr Dash will be seeking to unseat Tory Julian Lewis. Labour's Stephen Roberts is also contesting the New Forest East constituency.

Mr Kennedy dismissed accusations from Labour that a vote for the Lib Dems would be wasted and would let the Conservatives in.

He said: "People in this part of the country have worked out, after many years, that if you vote Liberal Democrat you get Liberal Democrats elected. What is different about this election is that that message is as relevant in the north now as it is in the south."

He stressed the Lib Dems had a distinctive agenda that was neither left nor right-wing.

He added: "We are just an independent political party. I am not particularly interested in trying to define us in relation to the other two parties.''