First two candidates declare themselves for 2015 election

THE first two candidates to challenge Mark Pawsey for his job as Rugby MP have been named - two years ahead of the next general election.

Rugby Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) has selected its secretary Pete McLaren as its candidate for its first campaign.

And Labour has chosen borough councillor Claire Edwards as its challenger for the seat it lost in 2005.

Mr McLaren was selected after nominations were made by TUSC members and local branches of trade unions the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers and the Fire Brigades Union.

He said: “TUSC is establishing itself as the main opposition locally to the vicious attacks that the working class increasingly faces from the Tory/Lib Dem Government with little or no opposition from Labour.

“I will work to build on this and help to create a real alternative to all the establishment parties by 2015.

“Standing in the general election gives us a further opportunity to build a socialist alternative to the other parties – a new Left Party committed to equality, workers and consumers’ control of public services and industry, and opposed to capitalism, greed, racism and discrimination.”

Mr McLaren co-founded Rugby TUSC in March 2011 when pressure group Rugby Against the Cuts decided to promote anti-cuts candidates across Rugby.

At last year’s borough council elections the party put forward eight candidates with the pledge of opposing all cuts to public services.

It has also campaigned on a number of other issues, including local NHS cuts, library closures, youth unemployment, attacks on private and public sector pensions, welfare cuts, and in support of same sex marriage, and been involved in local issues, including campaigns to save the Lower Hillmorton Road music studio and the Sheaf and Sickle pub in Long Lawford.

Mr McLaren added: “If elected, I would vote and act consistently against cuts and privatisation, and in favour of measures that would benefit the unemployed and ordinary working people.”

Labour’s 2015 candidate is Newbold and Brownsover councillor of more than a decade Claire Edwards.

She is a founder member of the Newbold on Avon Community Partnership, a trustee of Hill Street Youth and Community Centre and has just been elected as an Executive Member of the Brownsover Community Association.

Coun Edwards replaces Andy King as the party’s candidate. Mr King represented Rugby and Kenilworth as MP for eight years in Tony Blair’s government before losing his seat to Jeremy Wright in 2005, and then finishing second to Conservative MP Mark Pawsey in the reintroduced Rugby constituency back in 2010.

After being selected this week she declared her support to people who were suffering from the rising cost of living.

“Prices are going up, but family budgets aren’t. Local people are seeing their living standards fall. That has got to change.

“As a Labour MP I would tackle rip-off energy companies, by making sure that people are automatically put on the best tariff.

“Most of all, I’ll challenge Mark Pawsey to explain that when local families are worse off, his Tory-led Government gave millionaires a tax cut.

“Rugby is my home and I can care about what happens here.

“That’s why I‘ll be fighting hard for local people and local priorities. I will always do what is best for Rugby, not Westminster.”

The seat is a key target for Labour which is expected to be the main challenger to Mr Pawsey’s 6,000 majority.

Back in 1997 Mr King, a former borough and county councillor unexpectedly swallowed Mr Pawsey’s long-serving dad Jim’s comfortable 14,000 vote majority as the party swept into power.

The Liberal Democrats have yet to name their candidate while UKIP are also expected to fight for the seat.

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