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Candidate statement: Catherine West

The Labour candidate for Hornsey and Friern Barnet

Catherine West, Labour candidate for Hornsey and Friern Barnet
Catherine West, Labour candidate for Hornsey and Friern Barnet

After 14 years of Tory failure, our public services are at breaking point.

The highest NHS waiting lists since records began.  Schools crumbling, crimes unsolved, sewage polluting our rivers and sea, and a housing crisis.  It’s the only Parliament on record where living standards have fallen, leaving thousands of people in Hornsey & Friern Barnet struggling to pay their bills and children going hungry.

We can’t go on like this.

The Tories have damaged so much and during their time in office trust in politics has hit rock bottom.  If they’re re-elected there will be more chaos to come.  Only Labour can stop the rot and build a fairer, greener society.

In my 9 years as a Member of Parliament, I’ve held the Tories to account at every opportunity, and it was my question in the House that caught Boris Johnson out on his lockdown lies and led to his resignation.

I’ve seen the harm Tory austerity has caused to services in Hornsey & Friern Barnet, helped residents hit by the Tory cost of living crisis, pushed for rental reform, and defended our high streets.  As shadow foreign minister I’ve represented Labour’s values overseas.

But to deliver the change our community needs requires a Labour government.  One that will rebuild our NHS, take bold climate action, put neighbourhood police back on our streets, act so no child goes to school hungry and build 1.5 million new homes – with the biggest council house building programme in a generation. 

Vote Labour on Thursday 4th July and give Britain its future back. 

Statements from five other candidates: Dawn Barnes – Liberal Democrats, Naz Panju – Conservatives, Dino Philippos – Workers Party, Helen Spiby-Vann – Christian People’s Alliance and Fabio Vollono – Green Party.

Barnet Post approached Reform UK candidate Navdeep Singh for a statement but we have not received one.

Note: Barnet Post approached all candidates for the borough’s seats and offered them the opportunity to make a 250-word statement. The purpose of these statements is to give voters the clearest possible understanding of the perspectives of people who are asking for their support. In doing this, we acknowledge that some views expressed my cause offence and distress and apologise if this is the case.


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