A force to be reckoned with
Reporter: DAWN MARSDEN
Date published: 14 December 2010
New Labour candidate focuses on police cuts
“READY to take on my opponents” — that was the message from Labour candidate Debbie Abrahams on the first day of her by-election campaign trail.
The mother-of-two, who was selected to represent the party on Sunday, spoke to voters in Abbeyhills about the coalition’s police cuts.
Residents who have signed Labour’s petition against the cutbacks — which will see 1,387 police officers axed in Greater Manchester — were invited to meet Mrs Abrahams at the ARC Community Centre.
Addressing the crowd, she said: “We have had great support for the petition against the cuts. People have real concerns about crime in this area.
“Things had started to get better and crime was going down quite significantly but these cuts to the police force undermine the fight against crime. Any cuts made have to be the right cuts at the right time and these are not the right cuts. Before the last election, the Lib-Dems promised Greater Manchester an extra 155 police officers and the Tories promised more police on the beat.
“These promises have been broken and we need to expose what is happening.”
A by-election was called in Oldham East and Saddleworth after May’s result was declared void when judges ruled that Labour MP Phil Woolas, who previously held the seat, had knowingly lied about Lib-Dem candidate Elwyn Watkins on his election leaflets.
Speaking about the by-election, Mrs Abrahams said: “It will be a hard fight but we can win. Labour can retain this seat.
“I promise that anything I say I will stick by. I will not say something unless I am absolutely sure I can deliver.
“It’s only the first day on the campaign trail but I have been very busy already.
“I love canvassing and meeting people. The residents I have met are really worried about crime in their area.”
