I was pleased to join former Labour MP Candy Atherton in Cornwall today and Cllr Jude Robinson ahead of the first Council elections since the coalition Government was formed. 

Now that the Lib Dems are voting for and supporting Tory policies, like the bedroom tax which will effect 3,000 people in Cornwall, it is more important than ever that people in Cornwall are given the choice to vote for Labour on 2nd May. I met with local Labour Party members at the Unite offices in St Austell who will be standing as candidates to ensure that we have more Labour candidates than ever before.

I also met with women from across Cornwall in the Falmouth Hotel as part of the Older Woman's Commission. The Commission is looking into the pressures faced by a new generation of older women, whose lives are very different from those of their mothers. It focuses on three key areas: older women in the workplace; older women and their caring responsibilities; and older women in the media and public life. I look forward to feeding the views that these women shared with me to the commission so that public policy can better reflect older women’s needs.

It was also good to visit Heartlands and then Carn Brea Leisure Centre. The people who use the leisure centre are concerned that their running track will be sold, and are also concerned to learn that if it is the money raised will not be put back into the local community.

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