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I am the only one who can create jobs
Date published: 11 January 2011
Election 2011
Election Statement - Elvyn Watkins (Lib-Dem)
Election after election, candidates have stood before the people of Oldham East and Saddleworth and promised to create jobs.
I know my Labour and Conservative opponents at this election say they want the same thing and I’m sure they do.
The difference is, I am the only one who knows how to do it.
I have 30 years of experience making things, turning round struggling companies and creating jobs.
Manufacturing has taken a huge hit around here in recent years, but it remains our biggest private sector employer and it needs people who know how it works to be fighting our corner in Parliament.
There are enough lawyers and academics in Westminster as it is, there not enough people with real-life experience of getting people into work and making businesses succeed.
That’s what I will be. It’s what I have discussed with the Business Secretary Vince Cable — who I’m proud to say is the first Business Secretary we’ve had for three decades who takes manufacturing seriously.
It’s what I have discussed with the Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, and it’s why I brought the Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander here to talk to the leader of the council.
The Liberal Democrats have always been a party of opposition, shouting from the sidelines.
That is no longer the case. We are in government, making a real difference to people’s lives, and that means that if elected I will have a seat at the top table to make the case for the people of Oldham East and Saddleworth.
Whether it’s taking nearly a million of the lowest paid workers out of tax, giving a fairer deal to pensioners or taxing the banks, the Lib-Dem influence is clear in the Coalition Government.
I don’t want to dwell on the reasons why this by-election came about, but I hope that people respect the decision I took to stand up to Phil Woolas’ racially-divisive lies and recognise that I did it because I thought it was right.
No one should get away with driving a wedge between us. We should all be able to live side by side, proud of our borough, in peace and respect not division and fear. If you choose to elect me as your MP I hope I have shown I am a man of integrity who won’t back down in the face of adversity.
I’m not going to pretend I’m some smooth politician with a prepared answer for every question. What I am is a local man, born down the road in Rochdale, who will fight for people here every day.
My parents never had a lot of money when I was young, but I went to work in a mill, got an education and was lucky enough to have a successful career. I want to make sure that everyone has the opportunities that I had.
Comments
As much as it gauls me to say it, Watkins is right, his Party have made a real difference to people during their fledgling period in office. Just consider what they've achieved:
a trebling of tuition fee's
abolition of the education maintenance allowance
a VAT increase of 14.3% to take it to it's highest ever level
reduction of 3,00 police officer roles in Greater Manchester
900,000 job losses
Their achievements are endless, or should that be priceless: what would we have done without them?!
You will have a place at the top table, having your head patted like a good doggy whilst the Tories tear up your parties manifesto and Nick Clegg keeps Camerron in power.
Is anyone naeve enough to believe this drivel?
I don't think anyone would deny that the Lib Dems are certainly helping the Tories to make a real difference to people's lives. However, it's better to improve lives rather than the opposite! We are all [apart from the top bankers and those at the top of the income tree] going to be worse off and worried about jobs and making ends meet.
I personally would never think of voting lib dem ever again. they have no back bone and like to be part of a crowd than individual........
I phoned Elwyn's office today and asked for a copy of the Lib Dems manifesto only to be told they'd sold out.
One politician is going to change the world?, I doubt it!. All we are hearing is the usual trite and the usual lets wait and see.
If by Friday morning (or later if there aren't several re-counts) you haven't created a new job for yourself, don't come back in 4 years 3 months saying the same thing
Elwyn Watkins is just desperate for power just like all the fib-dems they lie & cheat & do anything for success they are also hypercritical, how can they call Phil Woolas a liar when Nick Clegg has done nothing but lie to his voters & go back on his manifesto? The fib-dems have never had power as far as i can remember & it seems their desperation succeeds their beliefs.
I think that Watkins is just a bad looser, he lost he says by only 103 votes, well I like most other folk in this town and country refused to use my vote my wife also did not vote because of the scandal of us all being robbed by MP's with their expences swindle. if we had voted the 103 would have gone up to 105. Perhaps when he loses this by-election to a female, perhaps he wil go back to laws passed hundred of years ago and try to get her burned at the stake for being a Witch.
Have Your Say
Is that a pledge?
By Gritter @ 11/01/2011 16:04:01