election. Campaign Polling day was inevitably going to come around the time of the budget, which had been set for 20 March, and initially it was expected that it would be timed to take place before the budget. However Margaret Thatcher decided, in conjunction with Conservative Party chairman Kenneth Baker and Chief Whip Tim Renton to "take it on the chin" and hold the by-election two days after the budget. The by-election was formally called by Renton moving the writ in the House of Commons on 28 February. At the first Labour campaign press conference on 1 March, Roy Hattersley made an outspoken personal attack on Thatcher for being "arrogant, autocratic and unscrupulous in the pursuit of power", and claimed the main issue of the campaign would be the new local government Community Charge or 'Poll Tax' which was shortly to come into effect. Charles Prior supported the principle of the new tax and blamed the Labour controlled Staffordshire county council and Cannock Chase district council for higher than expected tax levels in Rugeley. When he launched his campaign together with his uncle, Prior visited an old people's home in Rugeley and was reportedly delighted to find may residents agreed with his view; his uncle attacked the Labour alternative tax while expecting that the Government's scheme would eventually be altered. Labour also attempted to focus on the Conservative proposals for the National Health Service, challenging Prior to say whether he supported them and the rise in prescription charges. Opinion polling The Sunday Times commissioned an opinion poll from Mori in the constituency which was published on 4 March. It found that Labour was leading with 50%, the Conservatives had 36% support, and the other parties were trailing: Liberal Democrats 5%, SDP 4% and Green Party 4%. The poll also found that four out of five voters thought the poll tax was the main issue in the election. Labour downplayed the poll. Liberal Democrat leader Paddy Ashdown highlighted the fact that their candidate, alone among the main parties, was local and had not been "chosen in London and parachuted in". He believed Labour's alternative local government 'roof tax' was ridiculous and that his own party's proposal of a local income tax would win votes. A second poll undertaken by the Birmingham Post was published on 8 March. It also showed a Labour lead, although narrower with Labour at 49% and the