Campaigners against Labour MP Hazel Blears have selected a candidate to stand against her at the next general election.
David Henry, 24, will canvass for votes in the Salford and Eccles constituency under the 'Hazel Must Go' banner at the poll, likely to be held in May.
Mr Henry, of Broughton, is a member of the Green party and is co-chair of Salford Youth Council.
The 'Hazel Must Go' campaign was set up by left wing activists in Salford following the MPs' expenses scandal last summer.
Ms Blears wrote a cheque for £13,000 to HM Revenue & Customs to cover unpaid capital gains tax on the sale of two flats in London when the scandal broke.
The Legg report revealed she had also repaid £225 for a glass shelving unit.
The Hazel Must Go group has issued a list of ten pledges which they want Mr Henry to put forward during the election campaign.
They include: no cuts in public spending; public investment in council housing and an end to school closures.
The manifesto also promises to save the maternity unit at Salford Royal, earmarked for closure next year, but Mr Henry admitted that the list was not 'realistic'.
He said: “These are not promises that we are making, it's a desire for what we want to see happening.”
The youth campaigner and community activist admitted he couldn't save the maternity unit from closing next year.
He said: “Mums want their babies born in Salford but we accept that the closure is a done deal.
“I don't think the manifesto that we produced is misleading because this is a list of what we want to see happening – maybe not tomorrow but in the long run.”
Hazel Blears said: “It’s always good to see young people getting involved in politics. This is what democracy is all about. It’s a bit confusing that, as a member of the Green Party, David is not standing for the Greens and has instead been roped into Bob Crow’s militant circus.
“Nevertheless I look forward to meeting him on the campaign trail and seeing what he stands for.”
Showing comments 1 to 17 and replies | View All
it's only a dream and you know it, The Real World (05/02/2010 at 20:22)
Lapsed Labour Voter, Swinton (05/02/2010 at 20:45)
umpire 2, Salford M7 4HT (05/02/2010 at 20:49)
minnie royle (05/02/2010 at 21:19)
Jetstar, Manchest`oh ! (06/02/2010 at 12:41)
handford (06/02/2010 at 15:25)
A list of ten pledges made by the camapaign and gone back on one already about the Salford Royal maternity unit and from the list of the other nine pledges about as practical as a chocolate fireguard!
No cuts in public spending - which world are these people in? Public investment in council housing - all the money going to public housing to up the standards to the Decent Homes standard and now new homes being built! As for the end of school closures - does this mean that buildings are being kept open for a handful of kids and teachers having to cover several age groups! Schools will continue to merge, close and open in line with the number of kids. How can you justify half empty schools?
No if this was Eurovison it would be Nil points for this bunch!
MisterSalford, Salford, Gtr Manchester (06/02/2010 at 19:05)
David Henry - and people like him are exactly the sort of people who need to refresh politics.
Knowall, stretford end (06/02/2010 at 21:35)
Ray OfSunshine (07/02/2010 at 17:53)
display of public contrition would be most welcome. Displaying more brass than the
combined might of Brighouse and Rastrick Band, Hazel is more concerned with
issuing McCartyite slurs against her political opponents.
Isn't time she got off her moral high horse and admitted to herself that she is little better
than a Benefits Cheat! When is someone from the mainstream Labour Movement going to challenge
Salford's answer tgo Imelda Marcos at the polls?
salfordrat (07/02/2010 at 22:38)
Ray OfSunshine
Little better than a benefits cheat. Fantastic. Couldnt have put it better myself haha. I would say though, that IMHO she is much, much worse than a benefits cheat because she never NEEDED the money. Most benefit cheats are, to be fair, dirt poor and without the kind of skills or decuation needed to earn much more than a meagre wage in some soul destroying factory job (if they are lucky). Blears already had a fantastic life paid for by the public purse, and yet she stole even more. She doesn'['t have the morals of a benefits cheat, who at least and again in my humble opinion, can always, and honestly, cite poverty as some kind of mitigating circumstance.
Dave Sherwood, Irlam (08/02/2010 at 15:19)
David Henry, Salford (16/02/2010 at 21:50)
Dissent has been brewing for a long time now and people are still angry, not just over the expenses scandal but all the pledges her party made back in 1997 they never delivered. New Labour has failed and the writing is on the wall. Now that anger is being turned in action.
Less than 30 people voted to reselect Hazel Blears at a secretive meeting held by her constituency party last June. Yet Hazel claims she values democracy, but what about the genuine grass routes democracy which is sorely lacking in the manner in which she and other candidates proposing to stand in the next general election have denied the people of Salford a chance to contribute towards their closed selection process?
I was very proud to be selected at a public meeting held by the Hazel Must Go Campaign. The meeting was open to everyone in Salford where over 80 people from a wide cross section of the community – plus disenfranchised Labour members – and a number of Lib Dem councillors attended.
As your article states we did indeed receive the backing of the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition - along with former Labour MPs, Councillors, Salford & Manchester Green Party, RESPECT, the Community Action Party and a large number of community and voluntary organisations. This campaign is not only determined to provide a realistic alternative to the failures of New Labour and the hate-fuelled far-right but also a serious voice for those disenfranchised by the entire political system.
Together we have united to push forward our agenda to ousting corruption from politics, saving our Green Belt and the environment, safeguarding jobs, defending human rights and civil liberties, condemning the war on Afghanistan, stopping cuts to public services and investment in affordable social housing, keeping our NHS public and demanding free higher education for all.
Some may say this Charter for Salford our campaign is championing may be somewhat idealistic, but it's important to remember that our manifesto merely represents the hopes and desires of the ordinary working people who wrote it. If a politician is unprepared to commit to those ideals they shouldn't expect to represent our city as it truly deserves.
David Henry
Prospective Parliamentary Candidate
Salford & Eccles
michael moulding (17/02/2010 at 19:24)
I am one person that has publicly supported Hazel, in these columns in the past, because no-one, even politicians are ever always one hundred per cent the perfect citizen !
As a single M.P he certainly will not be able to perform miracles but certainly has aspirations and ambitions and belefs that satisfy many not only from the left but from many who are either dissatisfied with the political system or unfortunately, have had enough of Hazel Blears !
Trying to demean an opponent by emphasising youth, implying inexperience is a mistake and a misjudgement by hazel ! Most people realise that a person can oly get the experience if they are given a chance and Hazel has proved even at the top of politics when in government, that all the experience in the world, does not mean that they do not fall foul of misdemenours !
You need to buck your idea's up Hazel or you are on your way out !
Leon Weastie, Stuck in a Bockle Over the Mode (17/02/2010 at 20:35)
Schwyz (18/02/2010 at 17:08)
The image of her waiving that cheque in the air stays with me.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
David Henry, Salford (04/03/2010 at 01:13)
I am proud to be standing in solidarity with Kay Phillips of the Respect Party – East Salford and North Manchester’s only candidate who has the real potential to stand up for ordinary people in parliament at the 2010 General Election. If you are of the same persuasion and want a new kind of politics, "old labour" values and believe in social and environmental justice then you may find Kay has the potential to represent you.
A.Behan, worsley (13/03/2010 at 16:44)
I am a Labour Member who can't beleive the Salford CLP have let Hazel
get away with the Expenses Scandal.
Hazel and Co are still dipping into trough claiming £200 a month
for food.If you look back over the last few years you will see that
Hazel even claims for food when Parliament is in Recess over the summer
months from July-October.Scandalous.
The Hazel must go campaign are made up of passionate people who
believe Salford deserves better.
Andrew Behan
Worsley CLP