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Labour picks ex-doctor to fight Copeland byelection Labour picks ex-doctor to fight Copeland byelection
(35 minutes later)
Labour has selected a former hospital doctor to be its standard-bearer in the upcoming Copeland byelection. Gillian Troughton faces a tough battle in the West Cumbrian seat, where Labour’s majority over the Tories was cut to 2,564 at the last general election. Its outgoing MP, Jamie Reed, announced last month that he was standing down to take up a position at the Sellafield nuclear plant in the constituency. Labour has selected a former hospital doctor to be its standard bearer in the upcoming Copeland byelection.
Troughton said: “It is an honour to have been selected as the Labour candidate for this crucial byelection in my home seat. This election is a choice between allowing the Tories to strip NHS services away from Copeland, and sending them a message that it’s unacceptable.” Gillian Troughton faces a tough battle in the west Cumbrian seat, where Labour’s majority over the Tories was cut to 2,564 at the last general election. Its outgoing MP, Jamie Reed, announced last month that he was standing down to take up a position at the Sellafield nuclear plant in the constituency.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: “Gillian is a local councillor with a strong track record of getting things done for her community. She has campaigned tirelessly to maintain local hospital services. Troughton said: “It is an honour to have been selected as the Labour candidate for this crucial byelection in my home seat. This election is a choice between allowing the Tories to strip NHS services away from Copeland and sending them a message that it’s unacceptable.”
“As a St John’s blue light ambulance driver, Gillian has seen first-hand the extent of the crisis caused by this Conservative government, which has chosen to fund tax cuts for the wealthiest instead of our health service.” The Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, said: “Gillian is a local councillor with a strong track record of getting things done for her community. She has campaigned tirelessly to maintain local hospital services.
The Conservatives said the selection was a “victory for the hard left”. “It is clear Gillian Troughton is nothing more than a Corbyn puppet in a Labour party that is too divided and incompetent to stand up and secure the future of Cumbria’s industry and jobs,” a Tory spokesman said. “As a St John blue light ambulance driver, Gillian has seen first-hand the extent of the crisis caused by this Conservative government, which has chosen to fund tax cuts for the wealthiest instead of our health service.”
A Conservative spokesman said the selection was a “victory for the hard left”, adding: “It is clear Gillian Troughton is nothing more than a Corbyn puppet in a Labour party that is too divided and incompetent to stand up and secure the future of Cumbria’s industry and jobs.”
Reed held Copeland with 16,750 votes (42%) in 2015, ahead of the Conservatives on 14,186 (36%), Ukip on 6,148 (15%) and the Liberal Democrats on 1,368 (3%).Reed held Copeland with 16,750 votes (42%) in 2015, ahead of the Conservatives on 14,186 (36%), Ukip on 6,148 (15%) and the Liberal Democrats on 1,368 (3%).