Tory county council leader Keith Mitchell finally met his match in a car park yesterday - when he came face-to-face, and bumper-to-bumper, with Labour MP David Blunkett.

No sooner had the former Home Secretary and his entourage arrived at County Hall to help the county council's Labour group launch its election manifesto than Mr Mitchell drove into the car park in his BMW Z3 -- blocking Mr Blunkett's Jaguar in the process.

To the delight of the assembled Labour throng, an embarrassed Mr Mitchell remonstrated with a burly Scotland Yard security chief before obeying an order to park his car in a more convenient spot.

The fact Mr Blunkett was in Oxford to throw his weight behind a Labour manifesto pledging to eradicate county council waste, sort out the authority's finances and make County Hall more transparent was an irony perhaps lost on his Conservative rival.

He was also half an hour late -- a fact he blamed on Oxford's chronic traffic congestion.

When he did finally show up he arrived with a sick and limping Sadie -- his guide dog and loyal companion.

So it was a good job his former cabinet colleague and Oxford East MP Andrew Smith was on hand to phone through to a Cowley vet and book an emergency appointment.

Mr Blunkett rallied local party activists on the steps of County Hall and said: "Sorry I am late -- blame the Lib Dems and the Greens for the traffic chaos. We got lost in Oxford due to the traffic problems, which were never caused by Labour.

"With one big push, the Lib Dems will be faced with the dilemma of do they sit with the Tories or do they come on board with the majority party and give the county council a much more radical edge?

"A Labour-run county council and Labour-run city council will provide better investment in public transport so people can leave their cars at home and use park-and-rides -- or their bikes.

"Sadly Sadie has had a dicky tummy for 48 hours, but hopefully it will be sorted out after a visit to the Cowley vets -- I have heard they do a great job with the Smiths' cat."

Yesterday's manifesto launch was the first time Mr Smith, the Government's former Works and Pensions Secretary and former Home Secretary Mr Blunkett, have been seen together in public since they both resigned from the Cabinet last year.

After a 20-minute stay at County Hall, Mr Blunkett and Sadie were whisked off to the vets in Cowley.

Mr Mitchell was unavailable for comment last night.

The date of the General Election has yet to be officially announced, but it is widely believed it will take place on the same day as the county council elections -- Thursday, May 5.