Leicester by-election: Coalition 'will make a generation worse off'
A generation of people will end up worse off than their parents as a result of coalition policies, Labour's by-election candidate says.
Jon Ashworth is hoping to become the MP for Leicester South after Sir Peter Soulsby, who held the seat for Labour, stood down to run for city mayor.
He said that the trend of each generation becoming more affluent and successful than the one before could be ended.
"People in Leicester, who've seen rising living standards for decades, now face an uncertain future," Mr Ashworth said.
"Under the coalition it is more expensive to go to university than ever before and we have one of the toughest employment markets for a long time due to a stagnant economy.
"This by-election is a referendum on the coalition and what it has done so far."
He said his working class background made him the right candidate to fight for the constituency in parliament.
"I'm from a humble background and I was the first member of my family to go to university.
"I know the importance of a good education in giving people a good start in life," he said.
"But people are frustrated that the education maintenance allowance is being axed by the Government, and tuition fees – which Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg had opposed – have rocketed to £9,000 a year.
"I'd be a serious voice in parliament, challenging the Government on decisions such as this at every turn."
Mr Ashworth, who has previously worked for Gordon Brown and Ed Miliband, said creating jobs in the area was his main focus.
He said the unemployment rate in the city as a whole was worse than the national average.
"The city needs a proactive MP to campaign for more investment in the city to boost the economy, help businesses to flourish and employment to grow," he said.
"I'll work with the city's mayor to give young people the opportunity to get into employment, training or education.
"I will be building good working relationships with banks to encourage them to lend to small and medium-sized businesses and I will be fighting for the best deal for Leicester in parliament."
Mr Ashworth is from Mansfield but recently moved to Clarendon Park, in the city.
He said: "I love the city and love being part of the community here.
"My wife Emilie and I are expecting our first baby – a girl – on May 8.
"If she arrives early, then we could end up having a busier election day than I'd ever anticipated."
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by Ginger Tom, Roundabout
Friday, April 29 2011, 1:37PM
“Dear Mr The Watchman, Loughborough. The yellow faces to which you refer are actually generated by the Leicester Mercury. If you type in an emoticon (a smiley) they convert it to one of their yellow, or blue faces. So if I'm happy and I type a colon : followed by a closed bracket ) to make a smiley face, this happens :) . If I type a colon followed by an open bracket, denoting a sad face, this happens :( . If I type in a semi colon ; followed by a closed bracket, denoting a wink, this happens ;) . I'm not sure what a sad wink looks like but I'll try. Here: ;(
I hope you won't devote so much time to so much trivia if you do become Mayor because that would be a waste of money. Then again, you can't become Mayor because you're from Loughborough :)
Prrrrr :) ;)”
by jon, aylestone
Friday, April 29 2011, 9:12AM
“Far too many head-in-the sand leftie tax-and spenders on this thread. Thank god that's not typical of what most normal voters think!.
Typically, J states " and most economists recognise that in a recession it is the role of government to spend us out of that recession"
Selectively ignoring the fact that most economists would also argue that in order to do that the government MUST run a surplus over the growth part of the cycle - even Keynes (who's idea this is stolen then corrupted from) espoused a balanced economic cycle. Of course you never hear that from Labour, as they are solely interested in the spending part of the equation.
Brown ran a deficit in the good years, ran an enormous deficit in the bad years, and yet Labour apologists attempt to deny cuts are necessary.
Rather than copy a paste to a biased journos ramblings, how about a table from a respected ratings agency which has just introduced a sovereign debt rating for 47 countries. Look where Labour has left us! Right near the bottom with the other basket cases.
Thanks Labour!
http://weissratings.com/ratings/sovereign-debt-ratings/?csm=3009983”
by Danny S, Leicestershire
Thursday, April 28 2011, 9:28PM
“"Jen, just remember that the bitter right wing vitriol that we see on here is NOT representative of what the majority of people think.
j, leic"
Majority of people?
So j, as a very lefty, negative, republican, politically correct, spendthrift, practically marxist, violent protest sympathiser, you represent the majority of the UK? Yes?
Pull the other one j, leics.
I've read your Johann link. I read his stuff as well. Normally his lefty rants are in the i / Independent.
ps Japan has just gone back into recension tonight, (Johann forgets to mention in his blog that predominantly Japanese investors buy their guilts, hence the better terms acquired by their government)
pps. The US have just reduced their growth figures by a large amount today for the last 3 months and about to introduce harsher cut than ours!!!!!!!.
ppps. Clearly this country isn't the only G8 country dealing with national debt issues.”
by The Watchman, Loughborough
Thursday, April 28 2011, 7:52PM
“When I become Mayor the first thing I will ban is those stupid yellow faces that one correspondent in paticular seems to think are amusing...not”
by mick, knighton
Thursday, April 28 2011, 6:48PM
“Jen and J ,what a great double act. Is bitter right wing vitriol any different to bitter left wing vitriol ? J, of course I realise that we are still borrowing money, but cutting expenditure as well. Don't agree with it all of it though.”
by Jen, Leicester
Thursday, April 28 2011, 6:13PM
“Thank you J. My blood pressure has now gone down. Nice to be in good company :)
10-98”
by j, leic
Thursday, April 28 2011, 6:04PM
“Jen, just remember that the bitter right wing vitriol that we see on here is *NOT* representative of what the majority of people think.”
by j, leic
Thursday, April 28 2011, 6:02PM
“"Still didn't answer my last question though. Would you keep borrowing money and spending it with no regard for the consequences ?
mick, knighton"
Hi Mick, sorry, I thought my earlier comment covered this so didn't reply.
No, of course I wouldn't carry on doing that regardless, why do you ask? But you do realise that this government is still borrowing too, don't you?”
by Kulgan, Crydee
Thursday, April 28 2011, 6:01PM
“@Jen,
Thanks. I don't really think I warrant a final message but the choice is yours.
I have never claimed to be politically savvy or intelligent. In fact, quite the opposite. I cannot lay claim to making up Liebour. It was made-up by someone up after the Iraq War I think.
It is a shame you are leaving.
I wish you well.”
by Jen, Leicester
Thursday, April 28 2011, 5:57PM
“Oh for heaven's sake, just when I was about to step away. I really don't know what you see as threatening Steve ! If you're referring to my comment about naming then I'm saying. If someone wants to report me for defamation of a Tory candidate then I will name the Tory candidate and he can speak for himself. I'm deliberately not naming names. So actually, no threats here.”