Labour Deputy Leader on the election trail in Mansfield

The deputy leader has urged voters to back their local Labour MP as the snap June election draws closer.

The duo took part in a campaign rally before heading out to talk to local people about Labour’s pledge to build a fairer Britain.

Nationally the latest polls show the gap is narrowing following the publication of both party’s manifestos, though Labour is still lagging.

Many of Labour’s key policies like nationalising railways and energy and ending tuition fees proved popular.

The Conservatives have had a poor reception to their so called ‘dementia tax’.

Tom Watson is on record as admitting Labour nationally has had a bit of a mountain to climb - are things now turning?

He said: “It has been tough for us - the reason Theresa May called this election was she assumed she was going to win it. We have fought every day an the polls are beginning to close up a bit for us - we’ve got two and a half weeks to go and we are going to give it our all.

Would Labour have been higher in the polls had there not been last year’s rebellion in the parliamentary Labour Party?

“No because I think people understand politics better than the media think. They are looking at this election and they know they have a choice now.

“They are looking at the two manifestos and they are working their way through it.

They have seen a bold manifesto from us which offers greater security and protection for people in work and greater hope for a young generation of workers. They’ve looked at the Tory manifesto and they’ve been frightened by it. Particularly older people.

“ Theresa May took pensioners for granted. Thousands of people are seeing their winter fuel allowance going and people are worried about the ‘dementia tax’.

“We’re not taking any constituency for granted. I have come here to offer my support to Alan Meale who is an old friend who has looked after me since I was a young MP.

“He has a fantastic track record, since 1987 the investment he’s brought for the local hospital and his campaigns have made him a very powerful advocate for the people of Mansfield.”

Next month Sir Alan is hoping to celebrate his 30th year representing the town.

For the first time ever it appears he now has a real fight on his hands, with young Tory hopeful Ben Bradley snapping at his heels.

On Brexit the MP campaigned for remain while 70.09 per cent of residents voted to leave the EU.

Coupled with the past year’s obsession with all things Brexit and a major schism in the Labour Party following Jeremy Corbyn’s runaway leadership victory, could Sir Alan’s majority be overturned this time?

Many traditional Labour voters in these parts are anti-Corbyn, saying they will vote Conservative for the first time in their lives.

Sir Alan Meale said:”This is not about Brexit - everybody is agreed about Brexit apart from the Liberals.

“This is about austerity .

“She wants a bigger majority that’s all. The things she has announced on pensions, social care means testing, winter fuel allowance and bus passes going show what they are about.”

Does he have a fight on his hands?

“If you look at the local elections the Tories came second in one, fifth in three, their vote was under 4,000 and in their own ward Berry Hill they came fifth.

“They said the results showed they could win. I look at their results and they were catastrophic for them.

“Jeremy Corbyn won twice with a huge majority, but this is not about leaders, it’s about policies - and ours have all been costed, every penny.”