If elected as your MP this Thursday my local priorities – above and beyond the Lib Dem national manifesto are:
- Helping solve the local schools crisis through opening new schools, building in the right places. I have already ensured an extra 3,100 primary and secondary schools places locally. But we need at least another 1,500 school places.
- Saving local libraries. Lambeth Council is planning to close 5 libraries and downsize two others. We have shown through building new libraries such as John Harvard Library that if you build better libraries more people use them more. I’ve persuaded developers to give us a brand new Grove Vale Library in 2016. I will work to persuade Lambeth Labour to reverse these avoidable cuts.
- Creating more apprenticeships and jobs. Local unemployment claiming benefits has fallen to 3.5% but the UK average is 2.5%. Apprenticeships have more than doubled under the coalition government – they’re a Lib Dem priority – but we can all do better at creating them helping to ensure lower unemployment and higher incomes over the longer-term.
James,
With the election coming up, I very much appreciate what you have done as a Councillor – particularly with your contributions to the E.D. Forum.
You personally would get my vote any time on the strength of your contribution to the community but I find the LibDem policies completely anathema to my views – particularly on issues such as immigration, civil liberties, Europe, ID cards, the so-called “snoopers charter”, Overseas Aid etc, etc.
On top of this is the dirty tricks that your party have played with your ertswhile coalition partners; not to mention Danny presenting the LibDem “budget” to parliament the day after the Chancellor’s budget.
James, in my view you are a decent bloke but your party is the “Nasty Party” in my book.
This time, I will be voting for a party that I have never voted for before.