Welcome back to my blog. We are now in the midst of the campaigns for the Local Election and the election of Merseyside’s Police & Crime Commissioner. In addition, the official start date for the UK-wide vote on our membership of the European commenced on Friday April 15th. Much of my time therefore, and that of Labour Party colleagues and members, is taken up with talking to residents, distributing leaflets and getting Labour’s key messages out to voters.
As it is the election period (called purdah) I am not at liberty to discuss the business of council or my role as Cabinet Member for Children’s Services. The business of the council continues, however, and we work hard to stand up for Knowsley despite the challenges that we face from central government.
The 2016 election in Knowsley is arguably the most important in the 40 year history of the council. It is an ‘all out’ election being contested on new ward boundaries. I am pleased that all 15 wards will have contested elections with a wide range of mainstream and other parties selecting candidates. This is good for democracy and will certainly ensure those who are elected as councillors on May 5th will have earned their success. I am hoping that the vast majority of the individuals elected will be candidates standing for Labour. Every person will have 3 votes in this election and I urge everyone to put their ‘x’ in the box against every name alongside the red rose of Labour.
Being an all-out election means the voters of Knowsley will be selecting the party they want to run the council for the next two years and possibly longer. Knowsley has always elected the Labour Party to run the council, and when an election was held with one third of the seats up for grabs the maths ensured we would be running the council even if we lost seats. With all 45 councillors to be elected in 2016 we have the unusual situation of uncertainty about the political leadership of the council post May 5th.
As a Labour candidate in Halewood South Ward I am working hard with my colleagues to see our party chosen to lead Knowsley under the leadership of Andy Moorhead. We are the party facing up to the reality of austerity and working everyday to serve the interests of Knowsley residents, families and communities. Tough decisions have been needed this year and some have proven controversial. The job of political leaders, however, is to work for the interests of the majority and secure a future for our distinct communities whilst respecting different views and opinions. Our Labour values mean we serve to fight for those individuals or families who have been affected most adversely by this cruel Tory government (whether or not they vote Labour). This means we fight for those residents hit by the bedroom tax, disability cuts, cuts to Child Tax Credits and more. We are not the party serving the interests of those who avoid paying tax; we are the party of hard-working families and residents who share our vision for a Knowsley built on fairness, opportunity for all and realistic about the challenges we face in the next few years. If you share the vision for Knowsley, vote Labour on May 5th.
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