Labour’s Joe Rayment is urging voters to “choose an MP who cares about the issues that matter” and not to vote tactically in the general election on Thursday, 8th June.
In a rebuke to the Liberal Democrat campaign, which has focused on encouraging tactical voting in order to unseat Ben Howlett, Cllr Rayment said: “There’s little difference between the Lib Dems and the Tories – both want to continue pursuing austerity.
“They are jointly responsible for the housing crisis across the country, they both intend to reduce spending in Bath’s schools, and they both have the same policy for student fees, with students facing ever higher bills for their education.”
Joe Rayment was particularly concerned about Liberal Democrat plans to increase income tax for all earners in order to fund the NHS.
“It’s unfair on the people of Bath to ask them for your vote when your policies are still going to leave people worse off.
“Labour will fund the NHS, among other things, by taxing the top 5% of earners while the Liberal Democrats will do the same by taxing ordinary people. It just isn’t fair.
“I therefore encourage everyone who has had enough of austerity and financial hardship to choose an MP who cares about the issues that matter to them.”
Film-maker and Bath resident Ken Loach yesterday came out in support of Joe Rayment. In a video posted to Facebook, Ken Loach said: “The Liberals who ask you to vote for them, even if you aren’t a Liberal, of course, were part of the problem.
“They supported the austerity programme of the Tories in the coalition years, they are responsible for the continued privatization of the heath service.”
He finishes by saying: “so I urge you, vote Labour on June the 8th in Bath. You’ll make a difference.”
In a separate video released at the weekend, Joe Rayment makes a similar comparison, condemning policies enacted during the coalition government and encouraging voters to back Labour in Bath.
“In this election the Liberal Democrats will tell you that you have to choose between them or the Conservatives,” he says.
“That you have to choose between two parties who voted to cut and privatise our NHS, who voted to cut our schools funding, who voted for the heinous and pernicious bedroom tax, and who voted to treble tuition fees to £9,000 a year.
“But that’s just not true. We’re seeing that the polls are narrowing and that Labour has a real shot in Bath for the first time in a generation.”