Dame Emily Thornberry has launched Labour’s Cliftonville byelection campaign at a rally attended by Polly and dozens of local Labour activists.
At the campaign launch for Cllr Joanne Bright at Palm Bay, the Labour legend and former Shadow Foreign Secretary said a vote for any party other than Labour risked vindicating Reform UK’s cuts, council tax hikes, and chaotic administration on Kent County Council.
Last year when the seat was contested, Labour came second to Reform UK in Cliftonville, with the Greens trailing a distant fourth with just 12% of the vote.
The byelection was called after Cliftonville’s Reform UK councillor was convicted of the coercive control of his wife over a ten year period, resulting in a twelve month prison sentence.
Cllr Bright, a founder of the Thanet Women and Girls Network, is making tackling violence against women and girls and community safety a major theme of her campaign, and has launched a petition calling on Kent County Council (KCC) to take action to protect women. Thanet has the worst rates of VAWG of any district in Kent.
Dame Emily Thornberry said the lesson from last time was that only Labour was in with a chance of beating Reform in Cliftonville.
She said:
“I’ve campaigned against Reform UK councils across the country, but this one in Kent is among the worst I’ve seen. They are hiking council tax when they said they wouldn’t, slashing vital services in Thanet, and the council leader was even caught screaming and swearing at her own colleagues.
“Labour came second here last time, so Cliftonville voters have a real chance to send Reform a message that Thanet won’t tolerate their public service cuts and shameless lies.
“It’s really exciting that in Cllr Joanne Bright they have a fantastic local candidate with a proven track record of delivery in Cliftonville who I know will be a tireless champion for this area on Kent County Council.”
Labour’s candidate in the Cliftonville byelection, Cllr Jo Bright, said:
“My campaign is all about sending Reform UK a message from Cliftonville that community safety and our local services matter. I’m campaigning for concrete action to tackle violence against women and girls, for an end to cuts to vital Thanet services, and for more opportunities for young people in Cliftonville.
“As a Thanet District Councillor and as a founder of the Thanet Women and Girls Network I have proven that I am a dedicated local champion with a record of delivery in Cliftonville. I hope voters will put their faith in me to be their voice on Kent County Council who will always stand up and fight for the things that matter.”