Labour hopeful sets out challenges ahead - The Worcester Observer

Labour hopeful sets out challenges ahead

Worcester Editorial 17th Jul, 2015 Updated: 19th Oct, 2016   0

LABOUR must reach out to Conservative voters as well as their traditional backers, a candidate for the party’s leadership has warned.

Liz Kendall spoke of her ambition on a visit to the Cap n Gown on the Tything on Monday (July 13) for a question and answer session with party members and the general public.

Ms Kendall delivered a rousing and uncompromising speech before taking questions in which she labelled the party’s General Election result ‘a catastrophe’.

The 44-year-old was the first of the candidates to accept the invitation to come to the city and embraced the idea of an event at the popular pub, the venue for Worcester’s General Election hustings.




She took a variety of questions on subjects such as Scotland, Welfare Reform and voter apathy.

The MP for Leicester West was urged to take the party to the left to present a clear difference between Labour and the Conservatives.


In response she said: “Quite frankly during the last five years we attacked everything without offering a credible alternative, if we do that again we’ll get the same result.”

After taking questions, Ms Kendall also took time to speak to people privately and after the event told the Observer she loved the debate.

“It’s great we do the hustings but I love debates like this; tough, passionate, in a pub not just in a big hall with Labour members and people who may not be Labour supporters,” she said.

“People want to grill us, to know we can take the difficult decisions. I have never been afraid of that and I hope I have shown that today.

When asked why party members or Labour supporters in Worcester should vote for her to become leader, she said: “Because I am fresh start, free from the baggage of the past, I will change our party.”

“I had a life before I came into politics, I ran the Maternity Alliance charity for new parents and the organisation which runs all the ambulance services for the NHS.

“I think people not only want to know about your life before politics but are you tough enough and can you reach out to Tory voters as well as those who voted Labour,” she added.

Invitations to come to Worcester have been extended to Ms Kendall’s rivals, Yvette Cooper, Andy Burnham and Jeremy Corbyn.

Coun Joy Squires introduced Ms Kendall and said: “I’m very happy Liz Kendall was able to come to Worcester so members, supporters and ordinary members of the public got the chance to see her, listen to what she had to say and have a chat with her afterwards.

“I think it’s important all the candidates take up the invitation we have extended to come and say hello to Worcester,” she added.

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