The Labour party's national manifesto was launched in April and can be viewed online
here. In addition, Horsham Labour party has its own local manifesto.
Housing
- Affordable housing is the top priority for Horsham Labour party. We have campaigned vigorously to make Horsham district council stick to its own policy of making sure that 40% of new developments are affordable houses. Our actions have caused the council to move from a position where they insisted that 20% affordable housing was all they would be able to get from Berkeley Homes to one where there is a chance of £7.25milion extra funding.
- Although we are still not satisfied with this we think it is a step in the right direction and demonstrates that we were right to put pressure on them, and we will continue to do so.
- We believe that there is a desperate need for more social rented housing and other affordable housing but that the district’s housing plans address the needs of developers and investors more than the needs of anybody on the housing register, and do nothing to address the need for affordable housing in rural areas.
- We welcome the Labour party’s manifesto plans on housing, especially the promise to make it easier for council housing to be built: something we have presented to the party conference two years running and have met with ministers to discuss.
Support for families
- We have been campaigning to try and save Horsham council’s holiday play schemes which are a lifeline for working parents on lower incomes and fully support the party’s many policies relating to supporting families, including tax credits, child trust funds, sure start and increased paternal leave.
- In particular we support the plans to protect the existing Sure Start children’s centres and to not reduce the provision.
Health
- We support the principle of a new NHS hospital to replace Crawley hospital, but are well aware that for many people in the constituency the hospitals at Haywards Heath and Worthing are the nearest Accident & Emergency facilities, so hospital provision at Crawley must not impact them.
- We are very proud of our NHS and the health guarantees in Labour’s manifesto, including the guarantees for cancer test results and treatment.
- We are also concerned that health policy must not focus entirely on hospitals and are pleased to support the policies on preventative measures like routine check-ups for over-40s and are very enthusiastic about the prospect of a National Care Service to transform the way care is provided to the elderly and disabled.
The Economy
- Horsham Labour party believes that the actions taken by the government have prevented a recession turning into a depression, and believes that cutting spending too much and too soon would put our recovery at risk.
- Locally we support the expansion at Gatwick airport within its current boundaries and configuration as a single runway, two terminal airport, but would like to see noise and carbon emissions reduce over time as newer-generation airplanes are introduced.
- We support the provision of more park &; ride facilities for Horsham town centre to make the town easier to work in and visit.
- Within the constituency we have great capacity to take advantage of Labour’s plans for more green jobs in new technology and we believe that our plans for creating green jobs will have a direct benefit for the area.
- Horsham Labour party supports a fully publicly-owned postal service, and at last year's party conference our delegate voted in favour of the emergency resolution about protecting the Royal Mail pension fund.
The Environment
- Horsham Labour party believes that climate change is a reality and that human activity contributes to it. We support the national party’s policies to introduce targets for the reduction of emissions, to move to a zero waste Britain, and to set targets for renewable energy sources.
- Locally we would like to see improved public transport and better facilities for cyclists to encourage more people to use cycles for short journeys.
- Our ‘spot the blot’ campaign has been focused on identifying council-owned derelict sites that are currently eyesores but could be used to provide affordable housing. We commit to working with the council to clean up these derelict sites and to improve the standard of cleaning and litter-picking within the district.
- We are very pleased to see the creation of the new South Downs National Park and would like to see access to the park by public transport improved with better bus services and more frequent trains.
- At a more local level we would like to see our green spaces preserved and for those green spaces to be more wildlife-friendly, with more native species planted and some grass areas replaced with flower meadows.
The Hunting ban
- Horsham Labour party supports the current ban on hunting with dogs and supports the campaigns to keep the ban and resist the Tory attempts to repeal it.
Cleaning up politics
- The expenses scandal of last year has severely dented the reputation of parliament and politicians. We totally support the changes to the arrangements for MPs’ expenses and the plans to introduce a mechanism for voters to recall MPs.
- We believe that MPs should not have additional jobs, as Francis Maude has, and think that Horsham is within commuting distance of Westminster so our MP does not need a second home at public expense.
- Our own candidate would not have a second home if elected, or take on any additional employment. As a candidate he has published a declaration of his interests in full, even though this is not yet a legal requirement.
- Horsham Labour party thinks that parliament’s second chamber should be entirely elected and also welcomes Labour’s plans for fixed-term parliaments, and proposals for the Alternative Voting system and a reduction of the voting age.
