North West Minister ignores Rochdale?

Beverley Hughes MP

Labour’s North West Minister The Rt. Hon Beverley Hughes MP, also the Minister of State for Children, Young People and Families has been accused by the Lib Dems of "ignoring Rochdale". 

Quesitoned Rob McLoughlin, the Presenter of ITV Granada’s ‘Party People’ who said: “There are many battlegrounds in the North West, including seats in Rochdale, Manchester Withington and Oldham where the Labour Party will be going into hand-to-hand combat with the Liberal Democrats?”

Ms Hughes, answered: “Well we are definitely going to win Manchester Withington!”  She completely ignored Rochdale and next door Oldham East and Saddleworth – where Rochdale Councillor Elwyn Watkins is the Prospective Parliamentary Candidate.

Lib Dem Agent Dave Hennigan said: “This is astonishing by the Minister with direct responsibility for the North West.

“In recent months a plethora of senior ministers have visited Labour’s ‘target’ or ‘at risk’ lists.  Gordon Brown, Hazel Blears, David Milliband, Ruth Kelly, Jack Straw and other senior ministers have been in Greater Manchester to support candidates or under threat MPs.  In Rochdale, this has not been the case, we’ve had to make do with Andy Burnham MP and John Healey MP, who is anonymous.  I can only come to the conclusion that the Labour Party nationally do not believe they are going to win in Rochdale.  Hence that they are concentrating their star turns elsewhere.”

The Lib Dems have also written to Mr Healey regarding his visit to the Borough.  They are questioning the purpose of his visit; the email to Mr Healey reads: “Noting your visit to the Borough of Rochdale on Wednesday 13 February, can you please confirm whether this was a Ministerial visit or you were attending for party political purposes?  Did you have any staff with you and was any taxpayer’s money used to fund any part of the visit including travel.” 

Dave Hennigan said: “This is a right and proper question.  I know from experience that Labour ministers have been accused in the past of using tax payer’s money to assist in promoting the Labour Party.  We were initially surprised to hear of his visit as he didn’t follow parliamentary protocol in letting Paul know.  It turned out though that the visit was out of our Constituency in Heywood and Middleton.”