As we enter the final straight before Thursday’s election, there is still all to play for – nationally and here in Hornsey and Wood Green.¬† I know there are still many people who are undecided and we will be working tirelessly to persuade them that Labour is the right choice if you believe in progressive politics (a quick look at Gordon Brown’s speech to Citizens UK is enough to persuade anyone:¬† http://bit.ly/dBRZBJ).¬†¬†¬† But there are also lots of ‘decideds’:¬† in Hornsey and Wood Green there are¬† former Labour voters, who supported a different party in 2005, deciding now is the time to come back to Labour.¬†¬† This is one message I received from a voter -¬† I’ve posted it here in full.¬†¬† This message strikes a chord with what I’m hearing on the doorstep:¬† lots of people don’t want a Tory Government, strongly dislike Clegg’s flirtation with Cameron and are coming back to Labour in 2010.
I will be coming back to Labour in 2010. Five years ago I left Labour, the party I represented for eight years as a Haringey councillor, because I felt it had lost its way over issues such as Iraq and PFI. But this election is critical to the challenges that lie ahead – in our economy and our political system. This is no time to stand aside. The stakes are too high.
The Tories called it wrong on every key decision that faced this country in the recession – the worst since the Great Depression. The Labour Government’s action to nationalise Northern Rock and recapitalise the banks, to cut VAT and to introduce the scrappage scheme to help manufacturing and save jobs, were all opposed by the Tories. ¬†If elected, they would threaten the growing recovery by making immediate cuts in public spending and going ahead with uncosted tax cuts that will benefit the better off. ¬†Their so-called Big Society is nothing but a fig leaf to privatise and slash the welfare state. ¬†Public services like health and education, have been painfully rebuilt by Labour over the last 13 years. Just visit your local school or hospital or park. We can’t let the Tories run them down again.
Labour has already devolved government and established fairer voting systems in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and London. The power of the hereditary Lords has been curtailed. It is now the only party Рdespite its failure in this parliament Рto offer fundamental democratic reform that will open up the political system and make it more representative.  The Tories only offer what is in effect the biggest gerrymander in history Рcutting the number of seats to boost the strength of the Tories in any future House of Commons.
The Lib Dems can’t win, and anyway Nick Clegg seems to be quite willing to support the Tories.¬† If you want change – to a more balanced economy less dependent on the City and political renewal – you have to vote Labour in every seat where Labour has a chance of winning. And that means here in Hornsey and Wood Green.
We are lucky to have a first-class candidate in Karen Jennings. As a former nurse she knows the problems of ordinary working people and as senior trade union negotiator she knows how to defend our vital public services. And as a Labour MP she will be able to fully support the party’s recovery programme.
That recovery can only be sustained and our politics renewed if Labour is able to form the next government. And that’s why I will be supporting Labour in Hornsey and Wood Green at this election.
Related posts:
