Labour Battle Bus Comes To Pembrokeshire

Labour’s ‘battle bus’ visited the election seat of mid and West Pembrokeshire, where candidate Henry Tufnell said he wants to “turn the page on 14 years of Austerity,” with “a decade of renewal under Labour”.

The battle bus arrived at Neyland on the afternoon of June 30, Shadow Digital Minister Chris Bryant greeting local activists and Mr Tufnell.

Speaking to activists present, including former Labour MP Nick Ainger, MSs Joyce Watson and Eluned Morgan, along with Ceredigion Preseli Labour hopeful Jackie Jones , Chris Bryant said: “On Thursday, the country faces a stark choice. More of the same sleaze, scandal, chaos and instability with the Conservatives, or a chance to press the reset button and have a fresh start with two Labour governments working together in partnership in the service of the people. But we are out today reminding people that change only happens if you vote Labour on July 4.”

He added: “We’ve seen the biggest fall in living standards in our history, you know that in your family finances, the fastest rise in mortgage rates in our history, people simply haven’t been able to keep up, Rishi Sunak, who has probably been more out of touch than any PM in our history probably doesn’t even understand that.

“It’s not just Boris Johnson and the lies, the endless lies, and the Chris Pincher, and the Jacob Rees Mogg nonsense and all that kind of stuff, it’s the complete undermining of the democratic system over these years.”

MR Bryant finished by channelling TV celebrity drag queen Ru Paul, saying Mr Sunak should “sashay away”.

Henry Tufnell said: “On Thursday this week, we have a fantastic opportunity for change, it’s fantastic to have Chris, Nick Ainger and Jackie Jones and others; we’ve got the full team here, working together we can really achieve positive change.

“In four days, Pembrokeshire will make a decision on what future they see for themselves and for the country. We are out speaking with hundreds of people every day to show them that there is an alternative to Rishi’s Conservative chaos. It doesn’t have to be like this – change is possible, if you vote Labour on July 4.”

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Mr Tufnell said his “number one” priority would be the development of ‘green prosperity’ to get “well paid jobs in Pembrokeshire”.

When asked what he would do to address cutbacks in local public services, ultimately funded by Westminster, which has led to an increase in council tax levels in the county, he said: “We’re suffering 14 years of Conservative austerity and that’s what’s led to underfunding of our public services, and that’s what’s key to this whole election. We want to turn the page on Thursday, we want to have a decade of national renewal under Labour.”

Mr Bryant was asked whether Brexit had had an effect on the doorstep canvassing.

“It hasn’t been talked about much in the election because it hasn’t been talked about much on the doorstep to be honest; the stuff we’ve talked about most is the cost of living, mortgages and the feeling that nothing seems to be working, and things like the NHS.”

He finished: “The single most important thing we can do is to grow the UK economy.”

On the much-vaunted ‘supermajority’ predictions, Mr Bryant referenced another icon.

“Now I know I look like Mystic Meg, but I’m not actually in the business of placing bets or predicting what’s going to happen; all I know is we’ve had 2m conversations with Welsh voters and we’re going to have a whole lot more between now and Thursday evening.

“If people want change, they’ve got to vote for it, the postal votes are in already, but the vast majority of people haven’t voted yet.

“It’s a two-horse race between Labour and the Tories.”

Other candidates standing for your vote on July 4 in Mid and South Pembrokeshire are: Hanna Andersen (Women’s Equality Party), Alistair Cameron (Welsh Liberal Democrats), Stephen Crabb (Welsh Conservative), Stuart Marchant (Reform UK), James Purchase (Green Party), Vusi Siphika (Independent), and Cris Tomos (Plaid Cymru).