Campaign news

INTERVIEW: Sarah Evans

17th March 2010

An email interview with Sarah Evans, Labour PPC for North West Hampshire.

What three policies would you like to see in the 2010 Labour manifesto?
A commitment to a massive council house building programme, an end to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and a pledge to honour the UN Charter. A commitment to end PFI and to ensure that public services will be delivered in the public sector.

What issues will you be campaigning on in Parliament if elected?
Council-house building, affordable and publicly run public transport, renationalisation of the utilities and ending fuel poverty, tackling climate change and ensuring access for all to a free and publicly funded education.

What do you think has been Labour’s greatest achievement and its greatest mistake in Government?
Labour’s greatest achievement has been the massive spending on health (it’s a shame so much has gone to PFI projects).

Labour’s greatest mistake has been the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, with a senseless waste of life, a senseless waste of billions that could have been spent on public services and has left the world less safe and less secure.

What are the major local issues in North West Hampshire?
North West Hampshire needs more skilled, well paid jobs, public transport and council homes. Much of the area is rural so young and old alike are often isolated in small villages. The combination of a shortage of council homes and very expensive homes in many of the villages results in young people moving away from family and friends in order to find somewhere they can afford to live. The Tory controlled authorities favour building the majority of new homes in Andover, the largest centre of population in the constituency, leaving the villages short of homes. There are very few facilities on many of the estates, leaving young people with little to do. Andover’s birth centre is often threatened with closure, and recently had to close for a few months, due to a shortage of midwives. The opening hours for the minor injuries unit in Andover have also been cut over the years, forcing people to drive nearly 20 miles to a bigger hospital in Winchester.

How can activists help you to win in North West Hampshire?
Activists can help in NW Hampshire by getting involved with the local campaigns – including the campaign to save jobs at Twinings, opposing rail cuts, supporting public-sector workers, delivering leaflets, door knocking, and generally helping to build the labour movement in NW Hampshire. For further details you can (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)