FORMER Home Secretary Jacqui Smith launched Labour’s Mid Worcestershire election campaign on Tuesday (March 3).
The former Redditch MP took to the stage at St Ecgwins Hall on Evesham High Street to begin the party’s challenge to win the seat currently held by Conservative MP Sir Peter Luff.
Ms Smith was the first female Home Secretary, and served in the last Labour Government between 1999 and 2009 in a wide range of ministerial roles.
She was MP for Redditch between 1997 and 2010 and is currently chair of the NHS Trust which runs the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham.
Before being elected to parliament, she worked as a teacher in local schools and lived most of her life in Worcestershire with her husband and family.
The event saw the party’s candidate for the seat, Robin Lunn (pictured), officially announced.
“Robin is an excellent candidate who has served as a Worcestershire County Councillor for six years.” Ms Smith said.
“He will represent the people of Mid Worcestershire extremely well in Parliament after the May election.
“We urgently need a change in Government and a Labour MP in Mid Worcestershire would ensure that happens.” she added.
Coun Lunn said: “I am delighted to have been selected as the Labour candidate for Mid Worcestershire.
“I have lived in this area for 22 years. I know Worcestershire, its people and its needs well.
“There are major areas which the present Government has failed to address – the NHS, education, low wages and the poverty which is driving people to foodbanks.
“Britain can do better than this, and I look forward to serving the people in this constituency effectively in the next parliament.” he added.
The meeting is open to Labour Party members and supporters who want to debate Labour policies and offer support to the campaign.
Robin Lunn, Labour’s candidate for Mid Worcestershire.
