Three well known Labour politicians visited Cumbria over the past three days to support one of the party’s candidates ahead of next week’s General Election.
Markus Campbell-Savours is hoping to be the MP for the new Penrith and Solway constituency and, if he is elected, he will follow in his father’s footsteps as Dale Campbell-Savours was the MP for Workington from 1979 until 2001.
On Saturday (June 22) he hit the campaign trail in Maryport where he was joined by Jonathan Reynolds who was the shadow secretary of state for business and trade and has been the MP for Stalybridge and Hyde since 2010.
On Sunday (June 23) he was knocking on doors in his hometown of Keswick where he was joined by Chi Onwurah who has served as the MP for Newcastle upon Tyne Central since 2010.
And yesterday (Tuesday June 24) he met residents of Penrith where he was joined by Ellie Reeves, who is the sister of shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves, who has been an MP since 2017 – she is the party’s deputy national campaign coordinator and is standing in the constituency of Lewisham West and East Dulwich.
She said it was great to be in Penrith to support Mr Campbell-Savours’ campaign. She added: “It’s a really important seat for us that we need to win in order to form a government and we are taking absolutely nothing for granted, there is no complacency, we are speaking to as many voters as possible to talk about how Markus will stand up for local people and be a strong voice for them in Parliament.”
The politician felt that visits such as hers were important, as was speaking to voters ahead of the election. She added: “We know speaking to voters just before the election is so important, so many people haven’t made up their minds yet on how they are going to vote.
“Actually, having those conversations on the doorstep, listening to people’s concerns and what they care about is so important.”
She said that Mr Campbell-Savours knew and loved the area and he wanted to hear from as many people as possible and she was delighted to be there supporting him.
Both her and her sister got into politics before the 1997 General Election and she said: “Rachel and I were the sort of people that, rather than moan about the things we thought were wrong, we wanted to do something about it, so we joined the Labour Party and got out campaigning in 1997 for a Labour government. It was something that we very much we did together.”
Mr Campbell-Savours said it had been great to get the support over the three days and added: “I think everyone knows that this constituency is on a knife edge – it is either myself or the Conservative Party candidate that are going to win.
“So, the Labour Party nationally is focussed on helping us achieve here and, when elected, they will help us do the stuff we need to do to transform this community in the way we are going to transform the country
He said the feedback on the doorstep had been really good over the three days and added: “I’ve quite liked seeing the recognition that some of our MPs across the country on the doorstep and I think people like to see that the national party is taking an interest on a local level.
“This is Cumbria and sometimes it can feel like we are forgotten but, when it comes to the Labour Party, they are not.”
Other candidates standing in the Penrith and Solway constituency include:
Julia Catherine Weir Aglionby, Lib Dems;
Susan Jane Denham-Smith, The Green Party
Roy Ivinson;
Mark Ian Jenkinson, The Conservative Party;
Chris Johnson, Independent
Shaun Keith Long, Social Democratic Party;
Matthew James Moody, Reform UK.
by Ian Duncan (Local Democracy Reporting Service.)
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