Charlotte MacKenzie has been selected as Labour’s parliamentary candidate for the new Truro and Falmouth constituency.

Commenting after her selection Charlotte MacKenzie said:

“Cornwall needs Labour representation. In Truro and Falmouth, the Liberal Democrats drew up plans which only expect one in three new homes to be affordable, despite the fact that regional plans recommend two out of three new homes should be affordable in areas of greatest need.”

“An independent inspection this year confirms that – on the Liberal Democrats’ watch – Cornwall’s adult social care, children’s services, and fireservices only meet minimum requirements, a deterioration since 2005 when the Liberal Democrats came into control of Cornwall County Council. This is despite the fact that the Labour Government has given the County Council above average, above inflation funding increases.”

“The Liberal Democrats once gained ground partly because they advocated a new politics of consensus. In Cornwall, it is the Liberal Democrats who now have Tweedledum and Tweedledee squabbles, with their MPs evidently feeling unable to support their councillors’ decisions on issues such as waste management and councillors’ allowances. No wonder seven of their councillors have left the Liberal Democrats.”

“I will be urging everyone who feels let down by the Liberal Democrats to support Labour because of our track record in Cornwall. Thanks to Labour’s investment in Cornwall’s future we have new schools and a university; we will be getting a new purpose built healthpark, and a dental school in Truro; there will be further investment in Falmouth docks; the A30 has been widened at Goss Moor; and unemployment has fallen by two thirds. Neither opposition Party has effective influence on Government decisions affecting Cornwall.”

“I will continue to serve my local community as a Truro councillor, and I hope to continue as Chair of Cornwall Neighbourhoods for Change, a position to which I was re-elected recently by the Board.”

“This is the only constituency where I applied for selection and it is the only place that I would want to represent in Parliament.”