Earlier in June Rye News asked the candidates from the main 5 parties to tell us their priorities for Rye. Here’s what Guy Harris, the Liberal Democrat candidate in Hastings and Rye, sent us.
I want to be your MP. I’m not a politician, I’m a working man and father of two. I’ve lived in and around Rye since 2011 and it’s my home, not a stepping stone to a political career. My kids are being raised here, and my family rely on the same schools, hospitals, roads and public services that you do.
As a consultant to various governments in the last decades, I’ve seen a bit of the world and understand where the UK and Rye fit into it. The division, disillusion and destitution that I saw in faraway places has arrived in Britain. But not in small boats. LibDems will control our borders, but we won’t blame the weak for the failures of the strong. Britain has been let down by squabbling politicians and profit hungry private utilities. Our public services have crumbled, whilst bills and taxes have soared and living standards have plummeted… We’re all aware of these circumstances, yet we feel we can’t change them. I’m here to tell you, we can. But not by gambling another five years on the broken two party Labour-Conservative status quo. A tactical vote is not a long term strategic solution. It’s a reprieve from the Tories, not a deliverance.
The answer to our problems isn’t scapegoating minorities, stoking culture war, or eroding laws and rights. But it’s not ‘business as usual’ either. We face generational challenges and our short-sighted antagonistic political system isn’t capable of addressing them. Only LibDems seek power to give it back to you, by way of a reformed electoral system that ensures what matters to us matters at Westminster. Our manifesto is thorough and pragmatic. It prioritises the NHS and promises a ‘Fair Deal’, which is what we deserve.
https://www.libdems.org.uk/manifesto
So, frankly, I’m not interested in the next fortnight or the next five years under Keir Starmer. I’m interested in the next fifty years, and how we shape them for the benefit of those laughing boys and girls who daily wait at the level crossing. They’re waiting to live. And I want our kids to thrive, not just to survive. That’s why we need to put people before parties, profits and the pursuit of power. That’s my mission as your Liberal Democrat MP. I will fight for you. And a vote for me sends a message that we want to change the future, not just the Government.
FB/Instagram (@guyharris_LibDem) www.hastingsandryelibdems.org.uk
Image Credits: Guy Harris .
Well said Guy. Good luck and best wishes