Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Labour Campaign
Labour’s Westminster candidates for the Monklands seats have launched their respective campaigns.
North Lanarkshire t rade union council secretary Hugh Gaffney is representing the party in Coatbridge, Chryston & Bellshill; while NHS worker Helen McFarlane is Labour’s representative in Airdrie & Shotts.
Mr Gaffney, a postman, has been a trade union activist for 25 years and told the Advertiser: “We need a real working voice inside Parliament and when an opportunity came up with a snap election, I had no hesitation in putting myself forward. I’ve also had a lot of support from people and trade unions.
“I’ve just been elected as a councillor for Thorniewood which is an honour and a privilege. It doesn’t matter whether in the Civic Centre or Westminster, I’ll be standing up for my community and that’s now widened to Coatbridge, Chryston & Bellshill.”
He added: “Lanarkshire has been decimated with job losses – when Ravenscraig went, nothing ever replaced it and now we have a lot of poverty, zero- hour contracts and low pay in Lanarkshire which shouldn’t be here. We need decent hours and decent pay for people, and that’s why I’ll be fighting for the £10 minimum wage.
“The working- class people of this country, the young people of Coatbridge, Chryston & Bellshill, the next generation of workers, deserve better – they need stability, good pay, homes, better facilities and I’m here to fight for that.
“I’ve struggled for Monklands Hospital for years and will continue to do so, and I’ll be here to fight for people, for the NHS, for education. There’s been a very positive reaction from people, and I’ll be campaigning hard to get elected as we want to win this seat back.”
Ms McFarlane launched her Airdrie campaign with a town-centre street stall last weekend, and has been busy meeting residents from across the constituency.
She told the Advertiser: “I’m delighted to have been selected. I’m a first-time candidate and have been active in trade unions all my life.
“I’m a speech and language therapist and have worked for the NHS for 30 years – it’s a massive issue in Airdrie & Shotts, and it’s about bringing that knowledge and experience to the campaign, and working for people to have a say in the direction of health care.
“At the weekend street stall, we wore stickers highlighting the mismanagement of the NHS over the previous decade; which is an issue dear to me.
“Really important issues are bringing jobs to Airdrie & Shotts, employment rights from day one and favouring the £10 minimum wage and to be able to say no to another divisive independence referendum.
“During the campaign I’m going to be getting out there as much as possible and sharing our manifesto with people. I’m really excited about it and taking it to the people of Airdrie & Shotts.”