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By-Election 2011

Debbie  Abrahams

Debbie Abrahams

Labour Party
Oldham East and Saddleworth Constituency

Address
1 Kiln Gardens
Haugh Square
Newhey, Rochdale
OL16 3RG

A vote for me is a vote for fairness

I’m a working mum with strong family values. My husband John and I have lived locally since we were married 24 years ago.

I have a proud record of standing up for what I believe in — and getting things done.

People are telling me across the borough that they are angry about broken promises by the Lib-Dem-Tory Government.

This Thursday, there’s a unique chance to send a clear message to the Government that it doesn’t have to be this way.

We’ve been badly let down by the devastating plan to axe 1,387 police officers across Greater Manchester — despite being promised more police on the beat at last year’s General Election by both the Lib-Dems and the Tories.

Before the election, we were told university tuition fees were wrong and promised that they would be abolished.

But once in power, the Lib-Dems and Tories trebled student tuition fees to an eye-watering £9,000 a year.

There’s huge concern here, too, about the Government’s unfair decision to scrap Labour’s education maintenance allowance which now helps 4,303 students across the borough stay on to get the decent education they deserve.

The pain of two unfair price hikes at the fuel pumps since Christmas — a real double-whammy — is not just hurting motorists but threatening the very survival of some businesses.

You may recall that before the election, Mr Cameron spoke out against an increase in VAT. He said about VAT: “it hits the poorest the hardest. It does, I absolutely promise you.”

Before the election, Mr Clegg warned of a “Tory VAT bombshell” and said there was “absolutely no reason to raise VAT because we have done our homework”.

But once in government, Mr Clegg helped Mr Cameron drop the very same VAT bombshell he warned against. Another broken promise.

The unfair increase in VAT to record levels is already forcing all of us to pay more every time we go shopping. And, yes, it does hit the poorest hardest. This isn’t what you voted for.

A vote for me is a vote for fairness. I’ll fight the police cuts and make cutting crime a priority.

I won’t let them get away with making the borough pay more than our share in cuts and extra charges.

I’ll work my socks off to protect the borough’s vital public services from unfair cuts.

And I’ll work to deliver more facilities, more jobs, and more affordable homes.

Make me your MP this Thursday and on Friday I’ll deliver your message to David Cameron and Nick Clegg — no more unfair cuts, no more unfair tax hikes, no more broken promises.

I’ll always do what’s best for the borough — not what’s best for Westminster. And I won’t make promises I can’t keep.

  • A Newhey resident for 24 years, the mother-of-two was born in Sheffield. The 49-year-old public health consultant is the former chairman of Rochdale primary care trust. Involved in creating Oldham’s Integrated Care Centre.

By-Election 2011

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