Yahoo News Gloucestershire 'will be ignored' if Labour clinch landslide victory, says former PM David Cameron
Gloucestershire will be ignored if the Labour Party achieves a landslide election victory on July 4. That is the message from Foreign Secretary David Cameron as he visited Gloucester today (July 1).
Lord Cameron was on a campaign visit to the city centre to support fellow Tory Richard Graham in his bid for re-election. The opinion polls suggest that Labour is on course for a supermajority with more than 450 seats with the Conservatives down to just around 80 seats. If these predictions are true, the Tories will be competing with the Liberal Democrats as to who would lead the opposition in Parliament.
In Gloucestershire, pollsters predict Labour will take seats such as Gloucester, the Forest of Dean and Stroud. Meanwhile the Lib Dems are predicted to take Cheltenham, Tewkesbury and South Cotswolds meaning the only remaining Tory MP in the county could be Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown in North Cotswolds.
“If Labour get a landslide victory, Gloucester and Gloucestershire will be ignored, that’s the problem,” Lord Cameron said. “We don’t know whether these polls are right or wrong but the thing we do know is that if you turn up on Thursday and put your cross in the box of Richard Graham you will go on having the MP that has done a great job for this city and this area who will prevent it going backwards.”
The former Prime Minister highlighted county Tory MPs’ successes such as securing funding for the A417 Missing Link and levelling up funding for the Forest of Dean, Gloucester and Cheltenham. “The A417 has been important, the community diagnostic centre has been important for health,” he said.
“I think the Gloucester Academy with the merger of two schools to create one of the top ten most improved schools in the country, these are signal achievements and the levelling up money has done a good job as well. It’s even more important if you think Labour will get a supermajority to have a strong Conservative voice standing up for Gloucester and Gloucestershire in Parliament.”
Lord Cameron said he understands the frustration among some Tory voters who are considering voting Reform UK. But he says only Rishi Sunak or Keir Starmer are likely to be the next Prime Minister.
“If it’s Rishi Sunak you will get immigration control, flights taking off to Rwanda and an end to the small boats disaster. If it’s Keir Starmer, I think you will have people queuing up to come to this country because he has absolutely no plan to control illegal migration.”
Alex McIntyre, Labour's candidate for Gloucester, said Lord Cameron's visit shows how out of touch the Conservatives are in Gloucester given their appalling track record over the last 14 years.
"A Labour vote means change starts now," he said. "We'll create wealth, cut NHS waiting lists, and restore economic stability. The Tory Party can’t deliver change , but Labour will. Together, we can stop the chaos and rebuild. Vote Labour on July 4 for the change Gloucester needs.
"David Cameron's visit shows how out of touch the Tories are with Gloucester. Under 14 years of Conservative government we’ve seen NHS waiting times soar, ambulances haven’t arrived, schools have crumbled; and families around Gloucester have seen their bills rise.
"This Thursday, you have a big choice. If you vote Tory - or don’t vote - nothing will change. The NHS won’t get better, and the years of chaos will continue."
For a full list of candidates standing in Gloucester, see here
