Ministers and marginals

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As coalition ministers travel across the country to launch the next stage of local growth funds, is there anything significant in the locations of their visits?

These ministers are not campaigning; they are making official announcements.

The Cabinet Office reveals 21 in total have left Whitehall in a single day to tell voters about £1bn of government money being spent around England.

With an election looming

As they are promoting government policy the visits are funded - at least in part - by the taxpayer.

But, 98 days before the election, plenty of them are taking place either in or close to marginal constituencies that will be crucial come polling day.

We've analysed the locations - for full details see the table at the bottom of this page.

It has given government MPs some good news to share with their constituents.

Jackie Doyle-Price, the Conservative with one of the smallest majorities in the country - just 92, was pleased to see chief whip Michael Gove on her patch.

I have even been leaked the draft press release Conservative candidates can use to announce today's news to their local papers:

Lib Dem environment, food and rural affairs minister Dan Rogerson, majority 2,981, attended an event in his own constituency, and one in a neighbouring Lib Dem marginal.

A 'revolution' for spending

Just in case voters miss the point, the government's got its own map showing where the money will be spent:

The government says these local growth deals amount to a "revolution" in the way the economy is run - putting infrastructure and housing funding in the hands of local councils and businesses, not Westminster .

On official business

Ministers can use their cars for official business. If a visit includes party political engagements the cost has to be shared between the government and their party.

A Cabinet Office spokesman said: "These visits are not at all about campaigning. They're about going and meeting Local Enterprise Partnerships on the day they've agreed a billion pounds of deals with the government."

Getting out of Westminster

Of course, governments have to communicate. If ministers stay in Westminster they get criticised for not getting out more.

Eric Pickles' team point out he shared an event with the elected Labour mayor of Leicester. But official announcements do provide handy opportunities to announce good news in important areas.

Who's gone where?