Labour admits ‘challenging’ elections in Harrogate district

Harrogate’s Labour Party has admitted last week’s local elections were “challenging” after failing to elect any councillors in the district.

Labour failed to finish better than third in any divisions in the Harrogate district.

Chris Watt, acting chair of the local party and candidate for Fairfax and Starbeck, said the party was still proud of its “positive campaign” despite the results for the new North Yorkshire Council.

He said: 

“Our message of positive change has resonated, with many saying they were voting Labour for the first time and others strengthening their support for their local Labour candidate.

“Whilst we were disappointed not to make any gains, people clearly decided to kick the Tories by voting Liberal Democrat.”

There was success for Labour elsewhere in North Yorkshire as the party trebled the number of councillors it has serving the county.

Overall, the Conservatives narrowly maintained their control of North Yorkshire by electing just one more than the minimum number of councillors required for a majority.

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The Tories won 47 seats, while Labour and the Liberal Democrats took 12 each as five Green councillors were also elected.

Thirteen independents were also voted in, as well as one Liberal Party councillor.

Mr Watt added: 

“We are delighted that Labour made gains across the new North Yorkshire Council.

“We meet regularly with North Yorkshire’s Labour councillors and will ensure that the important voice of Harrogate and Knaresborough is not ignored.”

Meanwhile, the Yorkshire Party had five candidates – including two in Harrogate – but did not see success in the May 5 vote.

The party’s leader Bob Buxton said: 

“John Hall’s result in Spofforth with Lower Wharfedale and Tockwith was encouraging, so that’s clearly an area in which to build the party.

“It seems likely that there will be a North Yorkshire mayor next year. While the Yorkshire Party views mayors as largely powerless and budget-less, it is slightly better than no devolution at all.

“We finished third in both the South Yorkshire mayor election this year and West Yorkshire mayor election last year – people like our ideas on devolution and our demand for real powers and fair funding.

“In the meantime, there’s a parliamentary by-election in Wakefield, an area where we’re strong, giving us another opportunity to grow the Yorkshire Party.”

Andrew Jones MP ‘shocked’ by ‘inadequate’ free school meals

Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones has spoken of his “shock” at the inadequacy of free school meals and called for urgent action.

A constituent in Knaresborough told Mr Jones she had received two pre-packed sandwiches, two mini yoghurts, an apple, an orange and two potatoes to feed her son for five days.

The Conservative MP said on his website this “simply isn’t good enough” and that he would ask children’s minister, Vicky Ford to investigate the issue “as a matter of urgency”. He added:

“There are reports that the companies distributing this food have been paid £30 for a week’s food but you could buy what my constituent received for a few pounds. Fortunately my constituent can manage this week but that isn’t the point.

“Surely it would have been better and cheaper to give parents a loaf of bread and the ingredients to make their own sandwiches rather than send supermarket pre-packs? It would have been more nutritious too.

“What has been sent seems to me to be completely inadequate. Whichever companies are being used to supply the meals need to buck their ideas up and do it pronto.”

Mr Jones voted against free school meals last year and his comments have drawn criticism from political opponents.

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Harrogate and Knaresborough Liberal Democrats tweeted:

“We were shocked that he voted against giving free meals to low income kids in the first place.”

Harrogate and Knaresborough Labour Party tweeted:

“Ten days worth of food costing £30! Cronyism in all its glory, profiteering from poverty and neglecting the very children that need to receive healthy, substantial food! Let’s hear our MP justify this!”