23
Jun
Election candidate bids to become Ripon's first Labour MP
The Stray Ferret has spoken to all the candidates running for election in the Skipton and Ripon constituency and will be running features on each of them. Here, Malcolm Birks of the Labour Party talks about what his priorities would be if elected.
With Labour’s huge lead over the Conservatives in national opinion polls, could the solidly Tory seat of Skipton and Ripon be among those to turn from blue to red at next month’s general election?
Research by Electoral Calculus predicts that Labour has a 53% chance of winning, with the Conservatives on 47%,.
However, a newly-published Survation MRP poll estimates that the Conservatives, who had a majority of 23,694 at the 2019 general election, will hold onto the seat with a 35.3% share of the votes and Labour taking 31.8%
Labour’s candidate, Malcolm Birks, who finished second to Conservative Julian Smith in the 2015 general election, believes that he has a realistic chance of victory this time as the pair do battle once more.
He told the Stray Ferret:
I intend to be the first Labour MP ever to represent this constituency.
You take the polls with a pinch of salt, but we’ve got a great team and we are pointing out to people that given the polls we really are the only alternative to the Tories.
We believe that we are an area that has been taken for granted. It’s about time that things were shaken up a bit.
A married man with two children, Mr Birks who is an architect and lives and works in Skipton, pointed out:
There’s a whole series of things that people in the Skipton and Ripon constituency are concerned about right now.
In particular, there is a sense that everyone is paying more for less and that we need a fairer deal for working people.
Following the launch of the Labour Party manifesto, Mr Birks, said:
It's a powerful vision to rebuild the country.
Keir Starmer rejected the simplistic choice between tax and spending and instead set out a plan for investment and growth, based on a strategic partnership between government and business.
It will move the economy away from one which is run for the benefit of the speculators, the asset-strippers and the big corporations. By investing in the clean, green technologies of the future, a Labour government will generate the growth and good jobs this country needs to move forwards.
For people in Skipton and Ripon, it will reform and invest in our public services and bring a laser focus to the serious social issues that are here; from childcare to the NHS, from dentistry to social care, and from education to housing.
On issues of specfic relevance to Ripon, Mr Birks, said:
I’ve taken a good look at the plans for the cathedral annexe and I’ve met with the Dean. I’ve also met with some of the people who are against the scheme, who are concerned about the impact on Minster Gardens.
I know that the planning application has effectively been paused and the cathedral has been listening to people’s thoughts on how the scheme might have practical alterations and we all wait to see what comes out of that process.
As an architect I take a keen interest in these things anyway.
It is obviously a very important but contentious issue that needs looking at in a lot of detail.
Mr Birks welcomes the fact that progress is being made on the 1,300-home Clotherholme development, but believes that military heritage aspects of the barracks site should be protected.
He said:
The extra housing and facilities will be a good thing for the area.
Affordable housing in the whole constituency is a big issue and there is a concern, particularly about young people trying to get onto the housing ladder and the issue of affordability is absolutely key.
I’m also aware that there is concern about the preservation of the site's military heritage.
It’s important that the history of the site is still celebrated and invaluable military heritage aspects need to be guarded in an appropriate way.
On the city's economy, Mr Birks, said:
There’s an uneven playing field between high streets and the online giants.
A lot of small businesses are also suffering through late payments, shoplifting and anti-social behaviour.
Labour is proposing to help the high street by replacing business rates with a much fairer business property taxation and there will also be a crackdown on shoplifting and anti-social behaviour
Water companies including Yorkshire Water, have been in the spotlight for some time, because of their pollution of rivers and other water courses through the release of untreated sewage and Mr Birks pointed out:
Local people are furious about it and Labour will take some strong action.
We will stop water companies self-monitoring of sewage releases into water courses and order independent inspection.
It will stop the water company bosses getting their bonuses before they have stopped polluting our rivers.
The rural profile of the Skipton and Ripon constituency puts farming high on the list of Mr Birks' agenda.
He said:
A lot of farmers are really cheesed off,. They feel that they have been ignored in a job where they work to put food on our tables,
Changes in the payment scheme and legislation have really affected them and I would like local famers to know that I will be vying for a better deal for them
The Stray Ferret asked Mr Birks how often he would be seen in Ripon if he is successful on July 4.
He said:
Very often. I’m conscious that it’s such a big constituency, but it’s really important that the MP is not just stuck in one place and really needs to get around to hear about all of the issues from people right across the area.
The full list of candidates for Skipton and Ripon are as follows:
- Malcolm Birks, Labour
- Andy Brown, Green Party
- Simon Garvey, Reform UK
- Ryan Kett, Yorkshire Party
- Andrew Murday, Liberal Democrats
- Guy Phoenix, Heritage Party
- Julian Smith, Conservative and Unionist Party
- Keith Tordoff, Independent
The Stray Ferret will be hosting hustings events in both Harrogate and Ripon ahead of election day. You can sign up to attend the Harrogate event here and Ripon hustings here.
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