Rupa Huq Launches Election Campaign

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Ealing Central & Acton Labour candidate makes pledges

Dr Rupa Huq launched her campaign to win the Ealing Central and Acton seat at next month's General Election with an event at the University of West London. The launch was attended by Shadow Foreign Secretary Douglas Alexander, as well as a large number of other Labour Party members.

Dr Huq introduced a series of pledges which she hopes will win over the Ealing and Acton electorate. These included promises about keeping open local hospitals, as well as alleviating problems with housing, working conditions and wages, opportunities for students and a number of other issues.

Speaking at the event, Huq said that "local residents in Ealing need a Labour government. Residents are bearing the brunt of rising childcare costs, soaring rents and the NHS in crisis. Only Labour has a plan that works for working families in Ealing, rewarding the hard work they do and saving the NHS they rely on."

As her first pledge, Huq vowed to save the local A&E departments that the coalition government have either closed or are planning to close, as well as keeping Ealing's maternity unit.

She also promised to promote the building of "genuinely affordable" housing for first-time buyers. Pointing to the "astronomical" rent rises in Ealing and Acton, Huq said that first time buyers in the area "commonly work for over twice the national average" to save for their first homes.

Dr Huq pledged to look at the problems finding employment which are faced by Ealing's school leavers and graduates. She said "I believe we can bring local business together with Ealing's school leavers and graduates to work to benefit both parties."

In addition, Huq said she would campaign for the London Living Wage and seek to protect workers against what she termed "exploitative" zero-hours contracts. The Labour candidate vowed to stand with campaigners for the environment, human rights, equality and social justice:

"As your MP I will fight for hard working families and individuals over oligarchs and the elite. I stand for justice and equality for all and will take on the concerns of the community of which I feel intrinsically a part."

Nominations for Ealing Central and Acton Seat

Jon BALL - Lib Dems

Angie BRAY - Conservatives

Scott DORE - Workers Revolutionary Party

Peter FLORENCE - UK Independence Party (UKIP)

Rupa HUQ - Labour

Jonatha NOTLEY - Independent

Tammy RENDLE - The Above and Beyond Party

Andrzej RYGIELSKI - Europeans Party

Tom SHARMAN - The Green party

The election takes place on Thursday 7 May 2015 between the hours of 7:00 am and 10:00 pm

 

1st April 2015