I have been asked by local Labour Party members to put my name forward to be selected as Labour’s Parliamentary candidate for the new constituency of Elmet and Rothwell.The constituency contains most of the old constituency of Elmet (currently represented by Colin Burgon MP), as well as all of the Rothwell ward from the old Morley and Rothwell constituency (Colin Challen MP) and parts of Leeds North East (Fabian Hamilton MP).
I’m humbled and honoured by the support and encouragement that I’ve received from members right across the constituency from Wetherby in the north, through to Garforth, Swillington and Methley, and of course my own ward of Rothwell. I’ve lived in the constituency and have been an active Labour Party campaigner here for most of my adult life. I’ve lived in Methley and Swillington and now live in Carlton, Rothwell with my husband Stuart and little girl Esme (who we’ve just signed up to attend our local school).
Elmet and Rothwell has a proud Labour history, rich in industry, culture and tradition. It is a constituency that Labour must win if we are to protect all that we have achieved since 1997 – and if we are to achieve even more in the future.
Finally I’d again like to thank Colin Burgon MP for all his dedicated service to the the local Labour Party and our local communities. For 26 years – through good times and bad – he has dedicated his life to working for us. I bring enthusiasm, passion, experience, commitment and bags of energy to continue to unite the local Labour Party and ensure we keep campaigning to win Elmet and Rothwell.
Last October I went on holiday to Philadelphia, which is in Pennsylvania and was one of the key states that Barack Obama needed to win. We ended up as a bit of a busman’s holiday as we spent a good bit of time campaigning for Obama. For the holiday we did a house swap with a couple in Philadelphia so we ended up volunteering in the local Fishtown office of the Democrats. What was most amazing is how similar it was canvassing the streets of Philadelphia to doing the same in places like Garforth, Methley, Swillington, Rothwell and Wetherby.The picture is me and Esme preparing to set out to do some good old-fashioned door knocking.
A wonderful night was had by all at this year’s Opera in the Park which as always was set in the glorious surroundings of Temple Newsam on one of the most beautiful warm evenings we’ve had this year! I’ve always thought that this free event provided by Leeds City Council was a real bonus for Leeds folk to be able to enjoy the delights of popular classics made accessible to all. It’s now an unmissable tradition for many local people and we had a great evening having a picnic with good friends. Esme, who is two, was still talking about her magical night this morning and I know that our friends’ children enjoyed it just as much as she did. Amongst the many thousands of people there, we usually bump into some familiar faces and it was nice to see Cllr Andrea McKenna (my former ward colleague in Garforth and Swillington) and Cllr Jim McKenna (an Armley councillor). It was also a coincidence that Cllr Stuart Golton, one of the Rothwell Lib Dem councillors, set up his picnic right near where we set up ours with friends. Congratulations to Alfie Boe and Natasha Marsh together with the Halle Symphony Orchestra and the Leeds Festival chorus on their splendid and enjoyable performances.
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