Conservative heavyweight Baroness Warsi visits Rochdale

Baroness Warsi with Conservative councillors and candidates in the forthcoming local elections

1 More Image(s) In Gallery

Rochdale received a rare visit from a Conservative heavyweight as Baroness Warsi, Government Minister and Chairwoman of the Conservative Party, arrived at a packed Deeplish Community Centre as part of a two day tour of North West towns.

Local Conservative Leader Councillor Ashley Dearnley acknowledged the difficulty in persuading Conservative ministers to visit in the past and said the fact that Baroness Warsi had come to Rochdale was an indication of just how significant the growth in the Rochdale Conservative Party has been.

Speaking to Conservative councillors, candidates and supporters, Baroness Warsi endorsed what Councillor Dearnley said and added: “It is good to see the Conservative Party in Rochdale so vibrant, mixed and inclusive, and continuing to grow.

“I am a northern, female, working class Tory and there are many of us.”

Taking questions, Baroness Warsi was asked what she could do about the removal of services from Rochdale Infirmary, in particular Accident & Emergency. The Baroness said she understood the depth of feeling and she would “take the message on board and take it back to Westminster”.

Asked about the poor state of Rochdale Town Centre and what the government could do to help, the Baroness said that the lead must come locally and from the people of the town, not be local or national government led. She did however stress a number of government initiatives designed to help stimulate the economy and help town centre businesses, including the Mary Portas project.

Councillor Dearnley praised the Government for providing the £10 million needed to build the new transport interchange in Rochdale and added: “I believe the money provided by the government will be the catalyst for the redevelopment of the town centre.”

Challenged about the lot of working class people in town, Baroness Warsi said the government’s reforms are about ensuring that it “pays to work”, she added: “It cannot be right that those who don’t work can afford to live in better housing than those who do work”.

She talked about the government’s tax reforms helping to take many more people out of the tax net altogether, about encouraging local authorities to freeze council tax and of business rate relief.

The visit ended with a moment of humour when a member of the KYP management team, Mohammed Aziz, asked the Baroness to encourage more Asian women to get involved and described women as “Mercedes” in comparison to men as “Micras”.