Labour4Lutterworth @ Lutterworth Town Hall

And now - back in Lutterworth

Have you not voted Labour yet? These people have, and look how happy they are! In Lutterworth and villages, vote for DAVID GAIR, in Broughton and villages, vote for SANDRA PARKINSON, and in Bruntingthorpe (that's all the other villages including Fleckney) you need to be voting for LIZ MARSH.

And the same team in Broughton Astley this morning

I'm thinking there may be a theme here...

Labour4Lutterworth in Gilmorton this lunchtime

Peter Knight

Peter Knight, who died peacefully this week at the grand age of 88, was the face of the Labour Party in Lutterworth and South Leicestershire for fifty years. He served on the Town Council for nearly 40 years, the District Council, and was twice County Councillor. I was his agent for the County Election in 1989 when we lost by 6 or 8 votes. I still have nightmares about the count. Four years later we triumphed - an amazing, astounding victory. I have different dreams about that night.


Peter was chair of Lutterworth Branch on and off over the years. I tended to alternate with him for a decade or so. I could do the business well enough, and I had electoral successes of my own, but Pete was the one person everybody around here knew as LABOUR. And it wasn't just in Lutterworth. Pete was born in Leire and always maintained strong links with the rural community. He was big in Gilmorton. No offence to North Kilworth but PETE WAS BIG IN NORTH KILWORTH! You turned up with Pete in some of the villages and you didn't have to knock on doors. People came out to talk to you.


We fell out, quite badly, in the late nineties, but we made up eventually and I am proud that we did. It would be wrong to say that Pete taught me all I know about politics. In politics, as in most other things, I tend to be an autodidact. But Pete taught me everything I didn't know, and that was exactly what I needed.


The other thing we had in common was the magistracy. I don't know how long Pete served on the Bench but it must have been thirty years. I am now in my third decade as a magistrate. I probably wouldn't have put myself forward had it not been for long chats in hazy pubs with Pete Knight. Sitting in court is probably the only public service thing I do nowadays and I wouldn't miss it for the world. So that's something else I have to thank Pete for. Well... that and the housing research trip to Denmark, but let's not go into that...


I wish I had a photo to go with this post. I will find one.


Pete will be hugely missed, by his family of course, but by all those who knew and worked with him. And that's a hell of a lot of people.


Roger Wood

Archbishop's New Year Message on Refugees

Regular visitors will know that last year our local Labour branch raised funds for Syrian refugees. Just last week we discussed Britain's 'patchy' history in regard to accepting refugees. We might not all share Archbishop Justin Welby's faith, but we thoroughly endorse his sentiments here.

In For Britain - Labour4Lutterworth campaigning in Broughton Astley June 11

Diane, Alan and Dave G - part of the team campaigning to keep Britain in the EU - pictured in Broughton Astley last Saturday.

Starting Election Day.  The Labour4Lutterworth Committee Rooms 07:10.  David Fish, Amanda Hack, David Gair.  Time to get your rosette on and VOTE LABOUR.

Your Local Labour Candidates for Lutterworth

Fighting to get a better deal for Lutterworth

There is no doubt what will have the biggest impact on our town in the next four years - the massive expansion up at Magna Park. The site is a huge asset to our town, bringing jobs, opportunities and prosperity.

But Harborough District Council, which receives a huge income from the Park, does very little to alleviate the inevitable problems that come with such a major site. It really is like they just don't care.

With your support on May 7 we can start to turn the situation around.

We need routeing agreements, places for the lorries to park overnight, landscaping to reduce the noise, and a bus service from the site to all our local villages to minimise car journeys to and from work.

We can't take another four years of being the bottom of everyone's agenda.

DAVID GAIR is standing in ORCHARD WARD

David has been a Town Councillor since 2008.  He has fought hard to save the De Verdon Road allotments and to secure improvements for our roads and cycle routes.  He says: "We need a strong voice at Harborough District Council that does not simply toe the party line or weakly submit to the national government agenda. Local politics should be about local people and local issues."

MIKE SUTTON is standing in SPRINGS WARD

Mike is a former Marine and a well-known local businessman.  His wife runs a shop in Church Street and their four children all work in the town. This gives Mike a vested interested in Lutterworth.  He says: "This is our town, our future, the place our granddaughter will grow up and go to school.  Harborough has ignored us for too long.  It's time to make things happen!"

SIMON TODD is standing in SWIFT WARD

Simon served in the RAF before moving to Lutterworth.  He now works for the East Midlands Ambulance Service.  For two and a half years he was our Town Crier - so if you want your voice heard at Harborough there really is no better choice.  Simon says: "Your problems are most likely my problems as we walk the same streets and share the same services. I am not afraid to fight for what is right and for what you deserve."

AMANDA HOLYOAK is standing in BROOKFIELD WARD

Having served on the Town Council for the last four years, Amanda is standing as a District Councillor because "I wash to help shape the community in which my children are growing up, and make a difference to the town in which we live." 

Lutterworth Labour coffee morning with Amanda Hack, PPC

The second "Meet the candidate" coffee morning was held on Saturday, 21st March at Lutterworth town hall. Our new Labour party banner was put out, and posters were displayed on am A-board.
There was lots of interest, and Amanda was busy chatting with shoppers as they passed by. Many came in for a coffee to discuss issues further and have a chat.
At the same time, plenty of leaflets were given out, and 3 streets were canvassed.
The morning was grey, windy and bitterly cold, but undeterred by the weather, it was a very successful event.
The next Lutterworth coffee morning is on Saturday, April 25th. Further events will be held in April in Broughton Astley and Arnesby.

Pre-election events for PPC Amanda Hack in Lutterworth and S Leics

We have a timetable of events to enable local people to meet the Labour Parliamentary Candidate, Amanda Hack. They will be in various places around the County, and are as follows:

Tuesday, 17th March, 6 - 7pm, Surgery in Red Admiral, Broughton-Astley
Saturday 21st March, 10 - 12, coffee morning in Lutterworth Town Hall
Saturday 25th April, 10 - 12, coffee morning in Lutterworth town hall
Saturday, 11th April. 1030 - 12, coffee morning Arnesby village hall.

Do come along for a coffee and chat and show your support. Everyone welcome!

Welcome ban on plastic bags at last!

The Government's crack down on plastic bags is welcome, but rather late compared to us locals!

Lutterworth Labour Party and friends were campaigning for plastic bag reduction many years ago: "Join blitz on plastic bags", Lutterworth Mail, 2008; "Recycling is in the bag", Lutterworth Diary, 2009; "Campaigners succeed in bid to cut plastic bags", Lutterworth Observer, 2009.

If only the Government would take up some other Labour party ethics such as build more houses rather than heating up the housing market; put effort into getting NEETs into work or education instead of playing down the numbers of young people in this difficult position; keeping the NHS in the public sector where it belongs and providing economic stimulus for manufacturing to get more people into work.

Well at least our suggestion regarding plastic bags has been heeded - lets keep hoping!....

Elaine Carter