The Labour Party launched its campaign and manifesto for May’s Somerset County Council elections on Monday in Taunton. Labour councillors, candidates and activists were joined outside County Hall by Mary Creagh MP, Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
Addressing candidates and activists Mary Creagh said:
“We all know it’s time for a change here in County Hall, and in May Somerset will have the chance to vote for a clear, credible alternative. Today, we are setting out Labour’s priorities for Somerset, and I’m confident that over the coming weeks, as Labour candidates and activists pound the streets and talk to people right across the County, voters will soon see that these priorities represent the right choice for Somerset.”
Mary Creagh has been at the forefront of the Labour Party’s campaigning on rural issues that matter to the people of Somerset, such as rural poverty, the recent contamination of the food supply with horsemeat, the planned abolition of the Agricultural Wages Board, and on problems such as flooding and rural transport.
Labour Candidates in all 55 Seats
The Labour Party will be fielding candidates in all 55 seats in the Somerset County elections. Many of these candidates will be standing for the first time. The Labour party is aiming to retake the seats it lost four years ago and increase its overall representation on the council.
Councillor Andrew Govier, Labour Group Leader, said:
“It’s hugely encouraging to see so many prospective Labour councillors coming forward for the first time to offer voters an alternative to the current administration of Somerset. The Labour Party is alive and well in Somerset and has seen a resurgence in support over the past two years as it becomes clear that business as usual at County Hall is not an option. Only the Labour party offers a plausible clean slate for the County, with the new ideas and policies that the people of Somerset need to buffer them from the hardship being imposed by the economic failure of the coalition government”
“With big cuts to budgets and essential services in the current year, and even bigger cuts forecast over the next two years, the people of Somerset need a County Council that is more responsive and focused on the real lives of voters.”
‘A positive alternative message’
“I’m proud of our manifesto for Somerset which sets out a positive alternative message of how a Labour run County Council would put our values and priorities into action for the people of Somerset. We would protect services for the most vulnerable, create a sustainable environment, promote economic growth for Somerset workers and businesses, invest in our children’s education and protect the vital culture and heritage of our historic county”.
