I think there seems to be some real confusion about what people are voting for. This is a general, not a local election. The local council may well be Labour-run but you are NOT able to vote for that in June. The Tories are the ones that have cut funding year after year and led the council down this road. There is simply is not enough money to keep the streets clean. Public services such as adult training centres and drug-addiction facilities, that help hold-back a massive range of long-term social problems, are disappearing due to a lack of funds. Record numbers of homeless adults and children. And we are only just starting to see the results of this in our borough. The next wave will be the children and teenagers growing up in a systematically de-funded education system. Violent crime is up – a function of inequality and an underfunded police force. Then it’s going to be our rapidly aging population which is going to need a huge increase in NHS and care facilities. There is no Tory plan for all this. They want to sell you a 5-year day-dream whilst society bursts at the seams. I would also remind you that the closure of several nearby A&Es is a TORY policy that Rupa fought against. A population equivalent to a small European nation is practically covered by just one severely overstretched A&E, where many Doctors and Nurses are already leaving. This is a dangerous situation. Put simply - you are personally enabling and endorsing this if you don't vote Labour. Ditto for the spiraling prices of houses that the Tories have failed to control. There are almost no young people moving to the borough because they can't afford to. Our businesses need this. Far too much wealth is concentrated in the hands of a limited demographic. We are storing up so many problems. It can only get worse unless you are prepared to stand up and say: enough-is-enough. Please do NOT be under the assumption that you can somehow solve Acton's/Ealing's complex, serious, problems by voting Tory. You will be the cause of further misery and you will have to wallow in it for the next 5 years. What’s more you will be imposing it on the young, the very old, the vulnerable, the teachers, nurses, policeman, social workers, council staff who are desperately straining under the current system which is not going to be sustainable for much longer. If you doubt this to be true, I implore you go and speak to these people. You owe them that much. If you love where you live and respect your fellow residents - all of them - you have to keep Rupa in this seat to fight for us all. Or we can have a debate on bringing back fox hunting.
Jonathan Trotter ● 3275d