In 2017, we slashed the SNP’s lead over Labour in Lanark and Hamilton East from 10,000 to just 360. I’m asking for your support to finish the job we started.
Growing up in this constituency in the 1980s and 1990s, I saw first-hand the difference that a Labour Government can make to our community – and the damage that can be inflicted by the Tories. Don’t let anyone tell you that politics can’t make a difference.
Both Labour and Lanarkshire are in my blood. My family have lived in the area for generations, and my uncle, grandmother and great-grandfather all represented the party locally. From an early age, my parents instilled in me a strong sense of social justice, and a commitment to the Labour values of compassion, decency and solidarity that I carry to this day.
At the age of 18, I was fortunate enough to be offered the chance to study as an undergraduate at Oxford University. No one from my school had ever been given that opportunity before, and it was one I jumped at.
After graduating, I completed a masters at New York University, then entered into a career as a lawyer and human rights activist.
In 2009, as a volunteer for the charity Reprieve in Louisiana, I was part of the team representing impoverished defendants on death row.
As Director of Research to the Global Citizenship Commission, I authored a report assessing what needs to be done in the 21st Century to fulfil the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which was published and presented to United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in April 2016.
Most recently, I was Director to the Inquiry on Protecting Children in Conflict, which aimed to prevent violence against children in war zones.
It would be an enormous privilege to be able to use what I’ve learned in my career to represent the people of Lanark and Hamilton East.
At this election, the choice is simple: a transformative Labour Government that will invest in our communities and public services, or a Tory Government that will double down on austerity and drive through a hard Brexit. Constituencies in Scotland – including this one – are likely to determine the outcome.
The truth is that Lanark and Hamilton East needs a Labour Government. After years of Conservative cuts and SNP mismanagement, our health and social services are under pressure like never before. Almost seven per cent of people in this area are out of work; and for those in work, it’s often insecure, without guaranteed hours or income. Too many people can’t get the home they want, live in damp conditions or face rip off rents. And one in four children in Lanark and Hamilton East are living in poverty — a shameful figure that is set to rise with further cuts to social security and the rollout of Universal Credit.
The Labour Party offers a different way forward. Under our proposed spending plans, Scotland is set to receive additional investment of £70 billion over ten years.
If elected, I will work tirelessly to fully fund our schools and hospitals, revitalise our town centres, create secure and well-paying jobs, and ensure that no child has to grow up without basic necessities.
Thank you for supporting my campaign.
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Donations to a political party are regulated by the Political Parties Elections and Referendums Act 2000. By making a donation to this campaign, you are accepting the following terms and conditions:
- I am donating to the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse Constituency Labour Party.
- If I donate more than £500, checks will be made to ensure my name is listed on the UK electoral register (excluding the Channel Islands and Isle of Man).
- If I donate more than £1,500 to a Constituency Labour Party or more than £7,500 to the national Labour Party in a calendar year, my name and the amount of the donation will be published on the Electoral Commission's website, although my home address will not be made public.
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- Donations are not tax-deductible.
Promoted by Jim Quinn on behalf of Andrew Hilland, both at 17 Howacre, Lanark, ML11 7PF.