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

Support your local Labour candidates on Thursday

“I am delighted to support these three excellent candidates and urge local residents to vote for them on Thursday May 4.”

 

WILLY BACH, who is your Leicestershire Police & Crime Commissioner and a local resident.

DAVID GAIR - LUTTERWORTH DIVISION

SANDRA PARKINSON - BROUGHTON DIVISION

LIZ MARSH - BRUNTINGTHOPE DIVISION

Your Labour candidate for Bruntingthorpe Division

Bruntingthorpe Division

Arnesby, Catthorpe, Cotesbach, Fleckney, Gilmorton, Husbands Bosworth, Kimcote & Walton, Knaptoft, Misterton with Walcote, Mowsley, North Kilworth, Peatling Magna, Peatling Parva, Shawell, Shearsby, South Kilworth, Swinford, Westrill & Starmore, Willoughby Waterleys

LIZ MARSH

I am proud to have been selected as your Labour candidate for the Bruntingthorpe Division. For 35 years I have watched the area develop and change, having lived in Fleckney between 1982 and 1985 and Walcote since 2004. Some changes have been positive. Others have left me disheartened and dismayed.


Public Transport
The County Council has not protected our buses. Too many villagers are left isolated. Gilmorton residents cannot get to work by bus and no one, even in a village the size of Fleckney, has an an evening or a Sunday service. How can this be right?

Housing Growth

Our villages are bigger, but where are the facilities to support this growth? Post offices, shops, pubs and schools are the lifeblood of our village communities but without the support of our County Council most are more likely to close than expand. And how many villages can offer the homes needed for young people or elderly residents?


Roads
Congestion, speeding, potholes... it began as a joke but, really, it is true. The only time our roads get any attention is in election year. Residents complain about traffic pollution. They campaign for safe crossings and other traffic calming measures. And the County Council does what it always does. Nothing.

If I am elected, I will make sure the rural voice is heard in County Hall. How can you be satisfied with the current service? There is no service! 

Misterton By-Election - TODAY!

Does it really make a difference if your candidate lives in the ward? In this case YES IT DOES. The villages of Misterton Ward are facing the biggest upheaval since they built the M1. What remains of Misterton itself will be engulfed by Lutterworth East. Even that won't be big enough to take the extra population that will come on the back of Magna Park's expansion.


Lutterworth and Broughton Astley welcome the new township because it will at least pause their never-ending expansion. Some residents consider an Eastern Bypass as the answer to all traffic problems in South Leicestershire. That's nonsense. Traffic has already largely disappeared from the north end of Lutterworth. The Eastern Bypass will just focus even more traffic on the M1/Whittle roundabouts - a massive problem for Walcote, Cotesbach, Shawell and even Swinford.


If you live in one of those villages you desperately need someone to speak up for your quality of life. You need a District Councillor who lives in the Ward and who shares your fears and problems.

VOTE LIZ MARSH TODAY!

It's about our kids' future

Labour Party members here in the South Leicestershire constituency have left supporters in no doubt about their overwhelming backing for remaining within the European Union.

Despite allegations that the Party nationally has left voters confused, we have worked throughout the constituency, says Liz Marsh, one of our European champions locally. In the last month many local members have taken part in street rallies to drum up support for the Remain camp.  More than 40 activists have descended on Lutterworth, Blaby and Broughton Astley to provide factual information, raise awareness and gauge local opinion, using their enthusiastic support for the EU to try and persuade wavering voters.

"Despite coverage on the news night after night," one campaigner commented, "many members of the public are still confused as both sides use conflicting information to support their position."

Another activist added, "Europe has been good for Britain. It has championed workers' rights, protected the environment and supported businesses throughout Leicestershire and the East Midlands."

It's the big day on Thursday - voting at your usual polling stations from 7am to 10pm.  Be sure and make your voice heard!

Unaccompanied child refugees - a matter of right and wrong

Following a presentation by Elaine Carter earlier this year, Labour4Lutterworth raised £460 (plus £150 Gift Aid) for Save the Children and the brilliant work they do with refugee children from Syria. Our local MP on the other hand voted against admitting unaccompanied children from the refugee camps into the UK. We understand that Alberto is new and wants to demonstrate his loyalty to the Tory Whips, but some things are not a matter of Blue and Red, Right and Left, they're simply Right or Wrong. Alberto, in this instance you're plain wrong.

Liz Marsh sent me the details:

Parliament voted on 25th April as part of the Immigration Bill. They were debating whether unaccompanied minors should be admitted to the UK and given support to enable them to access education, health etc.

292 voted to prevent these children entering the UK. 274 (including 5 Tories) voted to allow these children access to the country. Alberto Costa voted to exclude unaccompanied minors.

Following a public outcry, on 4th May the Government changed its stance in response to increasing backbench unrest and support for a Labour amendment tabled in the Lords. It is not clear (but unlikely) whether Alberto was a potential rebel. An article in the Guardian on 7th May http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/may/07/should-david-camerons-u-turn-on-unaccompanied-child-refugees-be-celebrated examined the problems and likely benefits of the move. They concluded that about 1-3000 may be admitted, but that an appropriate number might be closer to 10000. they also highlighted the restriction that only children registered as unaccompanied on or before 20th March and residing in Greece, France or Italy would qualify. It is not clear who will pay to support the children or what will happen to them once they pass their 18th birthday and become adults.

Since that article. everything seems to have gone very quiet on the issue and I cannot find any more information; although I will continue to search. I found a very interesting site called the public whip which details the voting record of any MP  http://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/25413/alberto_costa/south_leicestershire

Mike Wailoo made a key point at last night's meeting. Despite the heroic work they do, we shouldn't be leaving matters like these to charities. As a rich country it should be a basis of government policy that no child anywhere in the world should go to bed hungry. Now is as good a time as any for the Labour Party nationally to consider making that a mantra.

Your local Labour candidates for the villages

Giving Villages a Voice

What does your District Council do for you?  Precious little if you live in a village west of the M1. The odd planning application, perhaps, but otherwise...  It's really not good enough and your chance to change things comes on May 7th.  Not that you'd know it, but it's not just about the General Election.  Every seat on Harborough District Council is up for grabs, and the suspicion is, your sitting councillors would rather you didn't notice.  That way they can have another four years dancing to the Tory tune of cuts, cuts, cuts, and pocketing generous allowances for doing very little.

Your Labour candidates, on the other hand, are committed to village life, protecting the rural environment whilst encouraging local jobs and demanding more facilities and services for local residents.

Malcolm Maguire is standing in the Dunton Ward.

Malcolm undertakes research into aspects of employment, education, training and the labour market, with particular specialisms in: the youth labour market; vocational education and training; employers' recruitment strategies; lifelong learning; career guidance; and employee development.  He has published widely on a range of education, employment and training related topics, and is a trustee of a Leicester-based charity which support vulnerable and marginalised people in securing employment.

Liz March is standing in Misterton Ward

Liz has lived in Walcote since 2003 and for the last six years has served as a Parish Councillor.  Her four children, now grown up, were all educated in local state schools but Liz fears that recent changes make it difficult for schools to plan for the future.  She says: "Housing is also important. I want my children to have somewhere suitable to live, but this need must be balanced by the desire to protect and preserve the environment."

Elaine Carter is standing in Peatling Ward

Elaine has lived in Arnesby for 16 years, and enjoys the village community. She sits on the Parish Council, contributes music to the annual May Fair, shares in the church cleaning rota, and enjoys the local film and book clubs. She is a keen activist on environmental issues.  Elaine says: "Having worked as a consultant paediatrician at Leicester Royal infirmary for over 20 years, I have first hand knowledge of how cuts to services affect poorer people most."

Remember to VOTE LABOUR ON MAY 7, or nothing will ever change.