7:52pm Sunday 7th March 2010
By Tom Kennedy
THE ‘Election Special’ held at the Sixth Form college on Thursday was a great success. Heated discussions between the candidates and vivacious questions from the audience contributed to a fantastic debate. More than two hundred students squeezed into the packed Performing Arts Centre to see Hereford’s parliamentary candidates pit their wits against each other. With a general election under two months away and a theatre full of potential votes, it was an important day for the politicians.
Philippa Roberts, the Labour candidate, is a very impressive politician, and raised a number of worthy points regarding the future of our county. There is no reason why she cannot become a future star in the Labour party with her notably rational approach. If only those in government were more like her!
Sadly, unlike the other speakers, Lib Dem Sarah Carr seemed more interested in telling us about Jesse Norman’s background than her plans for Herefordshire. Whilst it is of course necessary to challenge an opposing candidate, some of Mrs Carr’s comments had an unpleasantly personal tone to them. In the words of Felicity Norman, the inspiring Green Party representative at the debate, it matters not where you came from, but what you are doing now. What Jesse is doing now is working tirelessly in the community to make Herefordshire a better place for everybody. Jesse is helping raise money for worthwhile causes within the county, and raising the county’s reputation on a national level. Lib Dem and Conservative MPs have let this county down for decades. Finally, we have the opportunity to elect someone who can deliver positive change, somebody who can be a real champion for Hereford. At last, we can have our voice heard in London. There is nobody better to represent Hereford in Parliament than Jesse Norman.
“Class war” is simply cheap politics. As a first time voter myself, the occupational and educational background of any of the candidates is of no interest to me whatsoever. What each candidate can do for Hereford is the important thing. Making assumptions of candidates purely because they represent Labour, The Liberal Democrats or The Conservatives without any consideration of the individual’s vision for our local area is very limiting. Each candidate should be given the opportunity to express their own personal views, and be judged on them.
Mrs. Carr has a strong record of working in the community, and I am sure she wants to do her very best for Hereford. I have no doubt that she can bring many important points to the political debate within our city.
But “Class War” certainly isn’t one of them.
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