‘Manchester and its residents have been galvanised against Reform’s politics of division, pitting neighbour against neighbour’, Labour’s Deputy Leader Lucy Powell writes
On Thursday, a parliamentary byelection will take place in Manchester – in Gorton & Denton.
This is a by-election of national significance though. With Reform’s politics of hate and grievance, up against Labour’s politics of common purpose and unity – the result matters to us all.
Reform is showing their true colours – Tory Blue. Their Thatcher tribute act is revealing what they’re all about. Tax breaks for the rich. More austerity. Pushing hundreds of thousands of children back into poverty. Scrapping the Equality Act which gives vital protections to pregnant women, disabled people, ethnic minorities and LGBT people. In Parliament they’ve voted against stronger rights for workers and renters.
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READ MORE: Inside bitter by-election battle between Reform division and a united ManchesterREAD MORE: Furious row as Labour claims Greens will ‘turn playgrounds into crack dens’
Be under no illusion: Reform UK are no friends of working people in Manchester or anywhere else. We remember what Thatcher did to the North and we don’t want that again.
Manchester is a vibrant, tolerant city, proud of its diversity. The birthplace of the trade union movement, the co-op, home of the suffragettes. My city and its residents have been galvanised against Reform’s politics of division, pitting neighbour against neighbour.
That’s why Labour in Manchester is well-placed to win this crucial by-election, as revealed by exclusive data shared with the Mirror. We have a strong Manchester story to tell – of togetherness, opportunity and hope. Mayor Andy Burnham, the local Labour council and the Labour government delivering for Mancunians: new social housing, better buses, new free breakfast clubs, millions of pounds of funding to improve the area, and thousands of local children being lifted out of poverty with the scrapping of the two child benefit cap.
Reform is struggling to cut through, which is why they are playing up the Greens to split and suppress the Labour vote. The Greens are peddling misinformation, which only helps Reform. Reform picked the wrong guy to stand too. Far right criminal Tommy Robinson has endorsed the Reform candidate. He also thinks non-white people can’t be English, that childless women should pay more tax, and too many women go to university. Yes, really.
I’ve been out knocking on doors nearly every day in this campaign. Yes, people want to see Labour do better, be clearer about what we are doing and why, but I’ve also been heartened by the support and by Mancunians coming together to send a clear Manchester message to Reform: no thanks, off you trot back to London.
Gorton and Denton is an opportunity to draw a Labour-red line in the sand, give Nigel Farage a bloody nose, and roundly reject Reform’s politics of hate and division, and to choose unity and hope and Labour. This is the time to make that clear.
‘Another glass ceiling broken’
This week another glass ceiling was broken when Antonia Romeo became the first ever woman Cabinet Secretary. Much has been written about the Boys Club in Downing Street, but it’s fair to say that now all the senior advisors around the PM are women – strong ones too.
That’s a good thing. But we need to go further – as the PM knows – because good political decisions are made when there are a range of voices and views in the conversation. Representing different places, different political traditions, different experiences.
Group-think is never good and, in politics, when you’re faced with many issues every day you have to work that much harder to remain rooted and connected to the people who elected you. Reaching out, not turning inwards, is how we’ll succeed.
‘Brit Awards given the Manchester treatment’
Next Saturday Manchester hosts the Brit Awards – the first time ever outside London. It’s a huge boon.
We’re giving it the Manchester treatment – with a city-wide celebration of music and art including the BRITs Art Trail curated by my friend Stanley Chow and BRITs Fringe involving workshops, masterclasses and emerging artists performances. Manchester Vibes in the Area – as Liam and Noel declared on their comeback tour – and they certainly will.
‘I’m hooked on the curling’
It’s that time again when we sit in front of the TV watching obscure sports we didn’t know existed cheering on Team GB. Congratulations to our medal winners. I’ve no idea about the strategy or tactics but I’ve been totally hooked on the curling.