Labour Parliamentary candidate for East Thanet Polly Billington says she has been knocking on doors, meeting local people and been a part of the Thanet community long before she was selected as Labour’s candidate in February 2023.
She is a former BBC journalist and campaigner on climate and the environment, worked with Ed Miliband to establish the Department of Energy and Climate Change and was a councillor in Hackney until she stood down earlier this year.
She says: “With so much injustice in the world, I can’t sit idly by – I take action.
“The next election is our chance to end the austerity, chaos and mismanagement of the last 14 years. But if we want a better Thanet, we need a Labour government, and we need to elect a Labour MP here in East Thanet.
“Whether born or drawn here, people love this place, and rightly so — it has so much going for it; its landscape, its history and above all its people. But Thanet has borne the brunt of rapid change and Tory neglect.
“Our NHS is on life support, with people struggling to get a GP appointment or register for a dentist, spiralling house prices and unregulated short term holidays lets, our seas and rivers polluted for profit – all of these issues affect our community’s ability to thrive. Now with inflation and interest rates impacting on family finances, many are struggling more than ever. It doesn’t have to be like this.
“That’s why we need a Labour government. I have 5 local missions that I
will work to achieve as part of that:
“A LOCAL DOCTOR AND DENTIST WHEN YOU NEED IT Thousands of us are waiting
more than a month to see a GP, and getting a dentists appointment here
can be a nightmare. As your MP, my priority will be more doctors and
dentists for you.
“TACKLE THE COST OF LIVING CRISIS I know that high inflation and rising
food, fuel and mortgage costs are hurting people. I want you to keep as
much of your hard-earned money as possible. That’s what I’ll fight for
from day one.
“CUT CRIME AND SAVE OUR HIGH STREETS Police should be clearing up crime,
not just issuing crime numbers for insurance claims. I’ll fight for the
police we need in Thanet and make sure they work with the community so
we can feel safe in our homes, on our streets and in our town centres.
“STOP THE SEWAGE SCANDAL The Tory sewage crisis is polluting our seas
and rivers, damaging tourism and putting our health at risk. I will make
sure that water company bosses face criminal charges if they fail to
clean up their toxic mess.
“NO NEW-BUILDS WITHOUT INFRASTRUCTURE If developers want my support,
they’ll need to listen to and act on your concerns first. You’ll be the
first to hear about building plans in your area and we will shape them
together.
“As your Labour candidate and MP, I’ll work for everyone, bringing together the whole community. If you believe that Thanet deserves better, choose change. Choose Labour.”
