Rachel Reeves, the shadow minister for Work and Pensions, is spearheading the Labour Party’s cost of living campaign in Croydon against local Tories.
Reeves was talking to Central Parade shoppers and shopkeepers in New Addington on Saturday about Labour’s energy price freeze promise.
Bombshell: How Labour is fighting back against the Conservatives in 2014
The MP for Leeds West was giving out leaflets which echoed the Tories’s 1992 “tax bombshell” campaign leaflet, which helped win that General Election for John Major.
It’s not clear whether all New Addington shoppers got the political anoraks’ reference.
But the large turnout of Labour canvassers emphasised how New Addington is their top target in May’s local elections, a ward where they share the two Town Hall seats with the Conservatives. With the ward also being in Croydon Central parliamentary constituency, held by Tory MP Gavin Barwell, New Addington also seems likely to attract lots of attention between now and the 2015 General Election.
Tony Newman, the local Labour leader who accompanied Reeves, insists that Labour locally has done their best to keep costs down: “Labour councillors have voted to freeze the Council Tax for the last five years and we will do so again this year.”
Reeves is now to appear on Croydon Radio’s Press and Events programme on Wednesday at noon, where she will also talk about what Labour can offer to New Addington’s business people.
Coming to Croydon
- Norwood Society talk, Upper Norwood Library, Jan 16
- Croydon Ramblers, Chelsham walk, Jan 19
- STDLCC Screening: The East, Jan 20
- STDLCC Screening: Winter Nomads, Jan 27
- Coulsdon and Purley Debating Society, Feb 3
- Babylon at the Spread Eagle Theatre, Feb 4-6
- Steve Knightly at Stanley Halls: Feb 5
- Purley Swimathon: Feb 8 and 13
- Norwood Society talk, Upper Norwood Library, Feb 20
- Mr Pooter comes to Croydon, Feb 20-22
- Coulsdon and Purley Debating Society, Mar 3
- Norwood Society talk, Upper Norwood Library, Mar 20
- If you have a news story about life in or around Croydon, a residents’ or business association or local event, please email us with full details at inside.croydon@btinternet.com
New Addington needs some really serious planning and investment that will empower the population; be it better transport; more varied housing; more employment opportunities; better facilities. Every political party needs to really think about the massive potential that is being wasted by making things so difficult for the population to access basic amenities.
If Labour can’t win New Addington in May it might as well give up and go home.