Electors will have the choice of five candidates when they take to the polls on Thursday, 4th July.
The deadline for the nomination of candidates for the General Election has now passed and the following five candidates have been confirmed as standing in the Tatton constituency:
- Nigel Hennerley – Green Party
- Ryan Jude – Labour Party
- Esther McVey – Conservative and Unionist Party
- Oliver George Speakman - Reform UK
- Jonathan Smith – Liberal Democrats
I have contacted all five candidates and will be publishing articles for those who respond in the order in which they do so.
Ryan Jude has been selected to stand as the candidate for the Labour Party in next month's General Election.
Ryan's parents moved to the UK from India to work for the NHS. He grew up in Cheadle Hulme and Bramhall, which he says would make him the first ever MP in Tatton's history to have grown up round here.
He has been staying at his family home in Bramhall since he was selected as Labour's candidate, and if elected he will relocate from London to Tatton with his wife Sarah.
He commented "My love for the environment - now my career - was nurtured in Tatton's wonderful natural environment. I feel incredibly lucky to have grown up with it on my doorstep and feel fiercely protective of it. It inspired me to work in environmental policy, where I now lead a team at an environmental non-profit, advising government departments and working with councils and businesses on climate and nature policy. I never originally planned to go into politics, and studied maths at university before first working in finance in renewable energy and infrastructure, before starting my current job four years ago.
"Growing up, I was a young carer for my brother, and used to volunteer at local groups supporting children and adults with learning disabilities. Such groups provided a lifeline for members and their families, and I was proud to play my part to help. So I saw first-hand the impact of damaging Conservative policies on our local groups, families and communities. It made me determined to do something to help people.
"As an adult, I have fought to improve people's lives, serving as a local councillor on Westminster City Council, which we won for Labour for the first time in history. Winning meant we could make tangible improvements to people's lives, reopening youth clubs, funding free school meals for children in poverty and achieving fairer pay for care workers. As a Cabinet Member responsible for climate, ecology, culture and libraries, I led Westminster to be ranked the top single-tier council in the UK on climate action. But being a councillor also showed me the difficulties people are facing because of national policy not doing enough to support everyone in our country. As a board member of a local advocacy group round here, I still also support the families and people I used to help growing up, including my brother, and have seen the growing need for support here. As Tatton's MP, I can do more to improve all of their lives."
Why he has decided to stand as the Labour Party candidate for Tatton?
I decided to stand as Labour's candidate in Tatton because I believe that we deserve better, and because this is where I plan to start my own family. When I was growing up round here, things worked better. We had reliable and more frequent buses and trains, you could see a doctor if you needed one, and our rivers were safe for children to play in. I believe with my experience in my job and in public life, combined with my love for the local area, that I am best placed to fight to get things back on track for Tatton and the UK."
What are your promises/priorities for Tatton?
My top priority is tackling the cost of living crisis, growing our economy and supporting local residents and businesses. I will work to fix our broken public services, with longer-term funding for councils to avoid the closure of local provisions, and a return of more reliable, affordable transport by taking control of our buses and trains. An immediate focus will be cutting record-high NHS waiting lists in our local hospitals, and reducing the strain on primary care by reducing demand with our wider policies. This is alongside protecting our rivers and natural environment, and ensuring our streets are safe with more neighbourhood police.
I have spoken to thousands of residents over the least few months, and it is clear that the people of Tatton want change and deserve better, and I want to help fix things. My pledge to the people of Tatton is that I will be a hard-working, honest and full-time MP, using my track record of delivering change for people to ensure things improve. I will be moving into the constituency if I am elected, so I can continue to be a visible MP, out speaking to and supporting residents, as I have been over these last few months.
Articles featuring the other candidates standing in the General Election on July 4th will be published shortly and will all be tagged below 'General Election 2024'.
Comments
Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.
"a return of more reliable, affordable transport by taking control of our buses and trains" CEC has one of the most subsidised bus services in England, so its effectively publicly run already.... The DfT already control the local train service, Northern, and they have more cancellations now due to staffing than they ever did when owned by Arriva. If Labour get in nationally they have confirmed they wont reduce train fares (just make them simpler, which is needed), and full local bus control like Manchester, is only gong to be available to larger councils and Mayors, so as an MP you wont be taking control of anything.
"An immediate focus will be cutting record-high NHS waiting lists in our local hospitals, and reducing the strain on primary care by reducing demand with our wider policies." So explain as a local MP how you will do that??? Thats a line from the Labour Manifesto and is only achievable if they win, if he becomes our local MP in opposition, none of that can be done.
There is no "local plan" addressing the real local concerns, just what he will "achieve" so long as Labour get No10. I suspect if he is elected but Labour is in opposition he wont be so keen to move here!