Last Thursday, Feb 27, shadow Secretary of State for Education and TV personality Dr Tristram Hunt travelled to Ealing to support Dr Rupa Huq in her bid to become the next MP for Ealing Central & Acton.
At a packed-out fundraiser at the 8 Treasures restaurant in Ealing Broadway, the shadow Secretary of State outlined the importance of this constituency saying:
Labour faces a huge challenge after we lost the support of the electorate in 2010. Under Ed Miliband the Labour Party has changed – we have excellent candidates like Rupa, moving Labour to a party rooted in our communities.
We know the challenges are great, with the cost-of-living crisis, educational inequality and threats to our NHS. This is especially apparent in Ealing, where four local A&Es have have had their services slashed. In Rupa, Ealing has a true community champion who will act on local people’s concerns.
To a crowd of more than 100 supporters, including MPs Andy Slaughter and Steve Pound, local councillors and residents Dr Rupa Huq stressed the things that mattered to her in this election fight:
There aren’t enough local, ordinary people in parliament. I’ve lived in this constituency for 40 years. Much of my family lives here too. I want to stand up for my neighbours and their families as well.
We need more homes in this city, we need to tackle rising energy prices and the costs of childcare. The only Party that has shown any serious willing to take on these issues is Labour.
Dr Huq also outlined her plans to take the election to the government door-to-door and fight for every vote.
Notes:
Pic 1. Dr Tristram Hunt addresses the crowd
Pic 2. L-R: Cllr Patricia Walker, Acton Central. Dr Tristram Hunt MP. Dr Rupa Huq.
Ealing Central & Acton is 56th on Labour’s 106 target seats for the 2015 General election