ELECTION 2015: Bognor Regis and Littlehampton - Alan Butcher (Labour)

I would be an MP that engages with local campaigns, organisations and people.

Paper-thin representation is not good enough, your MP should be more than a post-box in parliament to pass letters back and forth.

The choice at this election is between the Conservatives’ plan which is failing working families because they choose to prioritise the few at the top and Labour’s better plan which recognises Britain only succeeds when working families succeed.

Just a few of my priorities:

:: Cut the current deficit every year but invest to grow the economy.

:: An NHS with the time to care, the staff to do the job and stop forcing privatisation.

:: Spread wealth to the many, raise living standards for working families and cut tax avoidance.

:: A triple lock to protect pensioner incomes and a better start for young people.

:: Tackling the exploitation of workers and fair controls on immigration.

Liberal Democrat voters at the last election were surprised and let down by them joining a Conservative government.

The Lib Dems then voted for the bedroom tax, tripling student fees and a wasteful top-down NHS reorganisation.

I have lived here all my life apart from while studying linguistics at University College London.

Having worked in the Body Shop laboratories for several years, I now work for an air ambulance and assistance company.

I have campaigned across the constituency and most recently played a leading role in Littlehampton United campaigns, set up by Local Labour members to bring people together defending local community events and services.

I began representing people at university and then at work. I have been a councillor at both town and district councils and have also served as a school governor.

Local secondary schools are being underfunded by the government department where our Conservative MP worked.

West Sussex headteachers recently highlighted in a letter that funding here is about two-thirds of that in the best-funded areas.

Unfair austerity cuts have been allowed to threaten our children’s education.

A Labour government will intervene directly. Major banking institutions must be called to account for their recklessness which damaged our economy.

Labour will regulate broken industries including energy companies and other privatised utilities and the railways will be given a track back to nationalised control.

Politics must be made to work for us, the people.