Charlotte Cane is expecting an outcry after claiming Labour has no chance of winning the new Parliamentary seat of Ely and East Cambridgeshire. “This constituency will be a two-horse race between the Liberal Democrats and a desperately out of touch Conservative Party,” says Cllr Cane, who is the Lib Dem Parliamentary candidate for the seat.
The headline on a media release setting out the early strategy for her campaign, is even headed ‘Labour officially gives up on winning Ely & East Cambridgeshire’.
Her rationale, she explains, is that “Labour classes the constituency as a ‘non-battleground’ for the party ahead of the next General Election as they begin candidate selection.
Labour not taking constituency seriously
“In a recent communication to its members, the Labour party has announced it will not seriously contest the constituency of Ely & East Cambridgeshire at the next election.
Cllr Cane, a member of East Cambridgeshire District Council, said: “At the last General Election, the Liberal Democrats finished second place to the Conservative party.
“The news from Labour means it will again be a fight between the Liberal Democrats and Conservative party.”
Lib Dems produced a chart showing spread of votes in local elections in Ely and East Cambs in 2023Labour has yet to pick its candidate to contest the seat, where the Conservatives will put up SE Cambs MP Lucy Frazer as its candidate.
However, Elizabeth McWilliams, vice chair of Landbeach parish council is one Labour supporter hoping for selection as her party’s candidate.
Contender to be Labour candidate
On X (formerly Twitter) she said today: “Excited to announce that I am standing to be Labour candidate in the General Election for Ely and East Cambridgeshire.
“Campaigning in Mid-Beds taught me a lot about winning in semi-rural seats.”
In her appeal to supporters, she adds: “Lessons that, with your help, will achieve the result we dream of. Let’s get our future back.”
Results of 2019 General Election in SE CambsMeanwhile Cllr Cane is forging ahead with her campaign, again dismissing Labour’s chances locally.
“With our local health services at breaking point, local rivers being destroyed by sewage and hardly any local crimes being solved, people have told me it’s time for change,” she said.
“Even Labour have now admitted they cannot win here. The Liberal Democrats are on a winning streak locally, as people send this government a message.
Tories taking us for granted
“The Conservative Party is too busy fighting amongst themselves to govern this country. They are taking people here for granted and failing to deliver for our communities.
“Enough is enough. It is time we had a local champion who can deliver the change we so desperately need in Ely and East Cambridgeshire.”
