This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/feb/13/stoke-byelection-we-cant-just-rehash-the-arguments-we-had-in-june

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Stoke byelection: 'we can’t just rehash the arguments we had in June' Stoke byelection: 'We can’t just rehash the arguments we had in June'
(35 minutes later)
In a constituency with the lowest turnout in the country, Labour veteran Alan Johnson knows he needs a big pitch for Stoke-on-Trent voters.In a constituency with the lowest turnout in the country, Labour veteran Alan Johnson knows he needs a big pitch for Stoke-on-Trent voters.
“There are three big events; there’s the EU referendum, the American election and the Stoke-on-Trent byelection,” he tells rows of students assembled at Stoke sixth-form college.“There are three big events; there’s the EU referendum, the American election and the Stoke-on-Trent byelection,” he tells rows of students assembled at Stoke sixth-form college.
Gareth Snell, Labour’s candidate in the town’s upcoming byelection, is standing beside Johnson on the podium. Snell faces a similar fight against the same forces of rising populism that elected Trump, Johnson says, in the shape of Ukip leader Paul Nuttall.Gareth Snell, Labour’s candidate in the town’s upcoming byelection, is standing beside Johnson on the podium. Snell faces a similar fight against the same forces of rising populism that elected Trump, Johnson says, in the shape of Ukip leader Paul Nuttall.
“It is not hyperbole to say this is crucial in Stoke. Ukip have one MP, their leader is standing in this election,” he tells the group, straining to be heard above the noise from the nearby lunch tables. “He doesn’t care about Stoke, and Gareth is steeped in this area, his kids go to school here. Gareth’s vision is for what happens to cities like Stoke after Brexit. Your decision is about where that will take us.”“It is not hyperbole to say this is crucial in Stoke. Ukip have one MP, their leader is standing in this election,” he tells the group, straining to be heard above the noise from the nearby lunch tables. “He doesn’t care about Stoke, and Gareth is steeped in this area, his kids go to school here. Gareth’s vision is for what happens to cities like Stoke after Brexit. Your decision is about where that will take us.”
In 2015, Stoke-on-Trent Central was the only constituency in the UK where the majority of the electorate did not vote. Former MP Tristram Hunt, who quit parliament in January to become director of the V&A museum, was elected by just 19% of his constituents, with Ukip close behind.In 2015, Stoke-on-Trent Central was the only constituency in the UK where the majority of the electorate did not vote. Former MP Tristram Hunt, who quit parliament in January to become director of the V&A museum, was elected by just 19% of his constituents, with Ukip close behind.
In a town where 62% of locals voted for Brexit, Labour’s key attack on the Ukip leader is that the town is nothing but a useful vehicle for Nuttall to get to Westminster, compared with Snell’s deep local connections.In a town where 62% of locals voted for Brexit, Labour’s key attack on the Ukip leader is that the town is nothing but a useful vehicle for Nuttall to get to Westminster, compared with Snell’s deep local connections.
At the Ukip office in the city centre, there is a subtle change in the newest leaflets, which focus on the issues in the town such as homelessness rather than solely on the EU. Labour campaigners are confident that revelations by Channel 4 that Nuttall had not even moved into his new home in the town by the time his nomination papers were submitted, as well as his struggle to name the six towns of Stoke-on-Trent, have cut through.At the Ukip office in the city centre, there is a subtle change in the newest leaflets, which focus on the issues in the town such as homelessness rather than solely on the EU. Labour campaigners are confident that revelations by Channel 4 that Nuttall had not even moved into his new home in the town by the time his nomination papers were submitted, as well as his struggle to name the six towns of Stoke-on-Trent, have cut through.
Snell, like Nuttall, was not born in Stoke but the 31-year-old local councillor has lived in the area for 13 years. Like many in the city, he describes himself as a member of “the turnover club” – people who turn over their plates, wherever they are in the world, to check whether the ceramic plates they are eating from are made in the Potteries. His six-year-old daughter, Hannah, has begun copying him, he said, though Snell’s pride was diminished somewhat when she tipped over one plate that was still loaded with food.Snell, like Nuttall, was not born in Stoke but the 31-year-old local councillor has lived in the area for 13 years. Like many in the city, he describes himself as a member of “the turnover club” – people who turn over their plates, wherever they are in the world, to check whether the ceramic plates they are eating from are made in the Potteries. His six-year-old daughter, Hannah, has begun copying him, he said, though Snell’s pride was diminished somewhat when she tipped over one plate that was still loaded with food.
Snell’s own achilles heel is his support for the remain campaign, once dubbing Brexit a “massive pile of shit” in a tweet from September. He admits the issue is still one of the key questions on the doorstep but says he is trying to turn the conversation towards how that will affect Stoke’s key industries. “The EU referendum is coming up, but it’s about why are we still here? People want to get on with it,” Snell said.Snell’s own achilles heel is his support for the remain campaign, once dubbing Brexit a “massive pile of shit” in a tweet from September. He admits the issue is still one of the key questions on the doorstep but says he is trying to turn the conversation towards how that will affect Stoke’s key industries. “The EU referendum is coming up, but it’s about why are we still here? People want to get on with it,” Snell said.
Soft Brexit, Hard BrexitMassive pile of Sh*tSloppy Brexit, Messy BrexitQuit, Quit, Quit.Soft Brexit, Hard BrexitMassive pile of Sh*tSloppy Brexit, Messy BrexitQuit, Quit, Quit.
“I’ve not hidden the fact that I voted for remain, but Stoke was very clear what it wanted. If I’m the MP for Stoke-on-Trent Central, I will deliver that. But it can’t just be rehashing the arguments we’ve had in June. I’ve been talking to manufacturers, the ceramics industry and the universities here and they want answers, how will trade look? What about imports? Where will funding come from?“I’ve not hidden the fact that I voted for remain, but Stoke was very clear what it wanted. If I’m the MP for Stoke-on-Trent Central, I will deliver that. But it can’t just be rehashing the arguments we’ve had in June. I’ve been talking to manufacturers, the ceramics industry and the universities here and they want answers, how will trade look? What about imports? Where will funding come from?
“I will not frustrate the will of the people, I will do nothing to slow it down but it is incumbent upon me to get the best deal that works for the Potteries, the investment, trade opportunities. I want to make it work.”“I will not frustrate the will of the people, I will do nothing to slow it down but it is incumbent upon me to get the best deal that works for the Potteries, the investment, trade opportunities. I want to make it work.”
The enthusiastic politics students at the sixth-form college fired Westminster insider questions about the article 50 vote and Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership at Johnson and Snell, but a mile away in Northwood, on the outskirts of the city centre, just one Labour poster was visible in the windows of the dozens of tightly packed terraced houses.The enthusiastic politics students at the sixth-form college fired Westminster insider questions about the article 50 vote and Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership at Johnson and Snell, but a mile away in Northwood, on the outskirts of the city centre, just one Labour poster was visible in the windows of the dozens of tightly packed terraced houses.
Several people stopped in the street said they were unaware of an election. Keith Fletcher, a retired site manager walking his dog up the steep hill into town, said he thought the poll had barely made an impression, contrary to Johnson’s enthusiasm.Several people stopped in the street said they were unaware of an election. Keith Fletcher, a retired site manager walking his dog up the steep hill into town, said he thought the poll had barely made an impression, contrary to Johnson’s enthusiasm.
“Young people don’t care at all, they don’t even know it’s happening,” he said. He said he would be voting, but did not expect many others in his family to do so. “I’m a Labour man. I also voted for us to come out [of the EU]. Just because people voted to come out doesn’t mean you vote for Ukip. We’re coming out now, no one can stop it and we need to think about other things now.”“Young people don’t care at all, they don’t even know it’s happening,” he said. He said he would be voting, but did not expect many others in his family to do so. “I’m a Labour man. I also voted for us to come out [of the EU]. Just because people voted to come out doesn’t mean you vote for Ukip. We’re coming out now, no one can stop it and we need to think about other things now.”
Darren Hopkinson, a young local community worker, also said he would vote Labour but said he feared there were some pockets of growing support for the Eurosceptic party. “The hard industry has gone in Stoke-on-Trent, and the working class guys have had their heads turned to more rightwing political views,” he said. “There’s been a lot of migration into the area and they think, maybe, they’ve been a bit neglected.”Darren Hopkinson, a young local community worker, also said he would vote Labour but said he feared there were some pockets of growing support for the Eurosceptic party. “The hard industry has gone in Stoke-on-Trent, and the working class guys have had their heads turned to more rightwing political views,” he said. “There’s been a lot of migration into the area and they think, maybe, they’ve been a bit neglected.”
Nuttall’s status as an outsider would not necessarily preclude him being elected if he could portray himself as the change candidate, one woman said, who did not want to give her name. The Ukip leader, she said, was the latest in a long succession of politicians who took the city’s poverty and low turnout for granted, in the expectation they would vote a certain way.Nuttall’s status as an outsider would not necessarily preclude him being elected if he could portray himself as the change candidate, one woman said, who did not want to give her name. The Ukip leader, she said, was the latest in a long succession of politicians who took the city’s poverty and low turnout for granted, in the expectation they would vote a certain way.
“There are no working class or people from ordinary backgrounds in politics any more, no ordinary person has gone through the grassroots and got there,” she said. “Paul Nuttall’s not from the area but Tristram Hunt got in and he’s not from the area. He wasn’t bothered about the Potteries and he got elected. He got a safe seat. I don’t think Ukip will get in, but there’s no opposition. And then what you get is apathy.”“There are no working class or people from ordinary backgrounds in politics any more, no ordinary person has gone through the grassroots and got there,” she said. “Paul Nuttall’s not from the area but Tristram Hunt got in and he’s not from the area. He wasn’t bothered about the Potteries and he got elected. He got a safe seat. I don’t think Ukip will get in, but there’s no opposition. And then what you get is apathy.”
Snell said he believed his party had done some soul-searching in the area over the past few years, including during his time as a local councillor. The Labour party are realising we have to continue to work for people, we have to continue to provide reasons to vote for us,” he said. “I don’t take any votes for granted, I’ve been fighting Ukip for a very long time on various levels and I know the Labour party wins when we are talking to people.Snell said he believed his party had done some soul-searching in the area over the past few years, including during his time as a local councillor. The Labour party are realising we have to continue to work for people, we have to continue to provide reasons to vote for us,” he said. “I don’t take any votes for granted, I’ve been fighting Ukip for a very long time on various levels and I know the Labour party wins when we are talking to people.
“If Labour lose the byelection on the 23rd, I can guarantee you I will still be working for this city on the 24th. Hand on my heart, if Paul Nuttall loses, he won’t be.”“If Labour lose the byelection on the 23rd, I can guarantee you I will still be working for this city on the 24th. Hand on my heart, if Paul Nuttall loses, he won’t be.”