Local residents will have the choice of five candidates when they go to the polls for the General Election on Thursday, May 7th.
Candidates for the Tatton Constituency are: Stuart Hutton (UKIP), George Osborne (Conservative Party), David Pinto-Duschinsky (Labour Party), Tina Rothery (Green Party) and Gareth Wilson(Liberal Democrats).
Over the coming week will be publishing brief interviews with each of the candidates that respond to our request. To read the interviews with other candidates click on the 'General Election' tag at the bottom of the article.
David Pinto-Duschinsky is the Labour Candidate for the Tatton Constituency.
He said "The Wilmslow area is a great place to live. But with working people on average £1,600 worse off a year since 2010 and businesses closing at a record rate in Wilmslow last year, too many families are having difficulty making ends meet. Local services have been cut. The NHS is struggling to cope, with facilities like Tatton Ward at Knutsford Hospital being closed and increasing numbers of people in Wilmslow and Handforth having to wait over a week to see their GP. Young people struggle to afford their first home while developers seem able to ignore local people's wishes.
"George Osborne has let Wilmslow down. He's not done enough for the area, he's not listened enough and he's not been here enough. And the Lib Dems have broken their promises and have supported the Tories every step of the way.
"Wilmslow deserves better. As your MP, I'll put local people and local concerns first. I'll take action to help hard-pressed families. I'll fight for a strong economy with opportunity for all and help for small businesses. And I'll stand up for local services and for our NHS. As the father of a young child whose life was saved by the NHS when she was born extremely prematurely, I know the difference the Health Service can make.
"I have the experience from a decade in business and from working in government, as the trustee of a leading charity and as a school governor to make a real difference for Wilmslow. Most of all, I'll listen. That's why, since the day I was selected, I have been out, rain or shine, knocking on hundreds of doors, listening to your views. That's why I circulated my phone number to everyone in the constituency so that they can call me directly with their concerns. I promise to bring that passion and commitment to listening to you to the job if elected.
"You have the chance to make a real difference on May 7th. George Osborne has taken this community for granted. But in 2010 he received the vote of under 40 per cent of the eligible electorate. The Greens and UKIP cannot win here and the Lib Dems have collapsed both nationally and locally-they are not even standing any candidates in Wilmslow. A vote for Labour can really count here. On May 7th, you have the opportunity to change this community for the better. I urge you to grasp it-and vote Labour."
Comments
Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.
Oh great - just what we need. Another middle class, double barrelled named, cafe macchiato drinking, ex Oxbridge banker and special government adviser millionaire who has never done a days labour in their life but will who will preach to us about the working mans needs from the comfort of their mansion in Islington.
Welcome to the modern day "Labour" party.
Obviously, David has been parachuted into Tatton for the practice and is earmarked for even better things by the "workers" party for the next election - which could be in July the way the polls are going.
What does bother me is that here and elsewhere, he tells us so little about himself. For me, the choice of whom to vote for is a mix of the party, the person and the needs of the country. The middle one of those was a reason shared by many Tatton voters when they dumped a notorious sitting member who had become unacceptable.
I am a postal voter, living in France (all quite legally on the register) and I rely on what I can read in the local papers and candidates' web pages. Mr Pinto-Duschinsky comes across as a man who never was.
I would like to know what school Mr Pinto-Duschinsky went to. This might seem curious but he has written articles where he has made jibes about Eton, even though he did not flinch at going to the University equivalent of Eton, namely Oxford, and becoming President of its debating Union. But try as I might, and I usually find things I am researching, I am unable to find a trace of his school. It is almost like he was placed on the Earth as a student at Oxford. It would be an assumption to claim he has concealed the fact. But when you look at how he has presented himself, it is all about mocking his opponents and not about presenting himself. He would of course have to include his years as a banker if he did.
I am not making any political points here; I am relatively apolitical. I would vote for anyone who stood against anyone who was even half a Hamilton. But I do like to know whom I am voting for. What I do know is that he lives in Islington and is quite likely a millionaire (he was a banking director) with a million pound house. Where are the Bevans, the Bevins, the Morrisons and the Gaitskells of yesteryear?
And as far as Eton is concerned, it undeniably provides one of the best school educations in England which few can afford, although they do offer 100% scholarships. I am reminded of the cars designed by Sir Henry Royce, which few could afford. Royce said "Strive for perfection in everything you do". I would not mock the engineering perfection of a Silver Cloud, neither the first nor later versions, simply because few people could afford it. Rather I would applaud British engineering. If I mocked the Silver Cloud because I worked for Daimler-Benz, whilst keeping my affiliation under wraps, then must expect the world to eventually hold me up to account.
You are not related to James Goldsmith are you? He seems to have broken all the Biblical seven deadly sins and invented a few more besides. Allegedly.