Lord Cameron and Emily Thornberry visit Macclesfield - as competing parties respond
By Alex Greensmith
30th May 2024 | General Election 2024
Two political parties brought out the big guns on Tuesday, with special guests from down south coming up to Macclesfield.
David Cameron, the former Prime Minister and current Foreign Secretary, was in the area to support the campaign of David Rutley MP.
Lord Cameron became Prime Minister the same time David Rutley was first elected as Macclesfield's MP, in May 2010.
In May 2024, the two officially launched the Conservatives General Election campaign in Macclesfield at The Flower Pot pub, on Congleton Road.
It was there where Lord Cameron pulled a pint of Unicorn, and complimented the drink, before putting the rest of the pint down as quipped that he 'was about to be interviewed'.
Tuesday was the first time a Prime Minister or former Prime Minister had visited Macclesfield, since Boris Johnson came to Macclesfield in 2021.
Meanwhile, Shadow Attorney General Emily Thornberry was at Macclesfield Labour's new HQ on Mill Street, to formally open the office for Tim Roca, the Labour MP hopeful in Macclesfield.
Ms Thornberry gave a five-minute speech on the street outside, as Labour hopes to turn Macclesfield red for the first-time ever.
Both Labour and Conservatives visited Macclesfield on a whirlwind day tour of the north west, and Emily Thornberry even stopped in another Nub News and Cheshire East town, being Crewe.
Labour's event kicked off at 12:30pm, meanwhile the Conservatives launched at 2:40pm, and Macclesfield Nub News went to them both.
After a 30 minute chat with Macclesfield Conservative Association, Lord Cameron told Macclesfield Nub News: "David [Rutley] and I were special advisors together way back in the 1990s [1994-1996].
"I always hoped he would become a member of parliament. He has, and he is very hard-working.
"He has delivered a lot for Macclesfield, but he has also delivered a lot in the Foreign Office where he is one of my ministers. Whenever there is a problem in the world, I send David because I know he can sort it out. He's a problem solver, he's a hard worker, so he is a great team player and it is great to be supporting him here in Macclesfield."
Lord Cameron made an unexpected comeback to the cabinet in November 2023, when Rishi Sunak announced he would be Foreign Secretary, seven years after he last served as an MP.
After having a flavour for public office again, Macclesfield Nub News whether he is tempted to take that political comeback one step further. The Independent reported over 100 Conservative candidates having not been decided when Rishi Sunak called the election, so Macc Nub asked if Lord Cameron was tempted to stand as an MP again.
"No I am very happy with what I am doing," said the UK's Prime Minister from 2010-2016.
"It was an honour to be asked to come back by Rishi Sunak to sit in the House of Lords and be Foreign Secretary.
"That is what I am focused on doing, yes, we are fighting an election but there are also lots of problems around the world that we are still dealing with.
"Whether it is Putin's war in Ukraine, or the problems in the Middle East, there are issues in the world. You don't stop being Foreign Secretary just because there's an election going on.
"But I am happy to support all my colleagues who are fighting for a seat in the House of Commons, and I am sure I will be doing lots more campaigning as we go along."
The Conservative candidate, David Rutley, said: "It has been a huge honour to represent the people of Macclesfield since 2010 when I got elected 14 years ago. It has been the honour of my professional life. And during that time I have been working really hard for the local community.
"The Foreign Secretary has been a great boss for me while working with him in the Foreign Office, I have known him for many years into the mid-90s when we were special advisors together.
"I think he is a real class act, he's doing a fantastic job as Foreign Secretary and shows the strength we have around the cabinet table.
"I hope that more people will continue to vote behind that sort of talent that he and Rishi Sunak exude, and I would ask for their support locally so I can continue to do that work for us over the next parliament again. Thank you."
Meanwhile, Labour brought a more recent MP to prop up the launch of their Macclesfield General Election campaign - until Parliament was dissolved on May 30 - Emily Thornberry was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Islington South and Finsbury, a position she has held since 2005.
The former Shadow Cabinet member could also be the next Attorney General, if Labour win the election, and if re-elected would celebrate 20 years as an MP.
Emily Thornberry had this to say about Tim Roca, Labour candidate.
"I think the most important thing about Tim is that he listens to people and he learns," she said.
"And that is frankly something you don't get from a lot of politicians, and he values listening to local people and learning what their priorities are.
"And you need to always do that. If you want to be a representative of an area, you need to always make sure that you listen and you are not arrogant as to believe you have all the answers.
"To have someone that is a fighter, and doesn't give up, and has lots of energy and focus, is something you need to be a good MP, because to be honest it is a tough old life. But it is also the most brilliant job I have ever done in my life, and you have to be thick-skinned, you have to be prepared to go for it. And you have to keep going for it, because every time you get knocked down, you have to get back up again.
"Because in the end you are the voice for your community and you need to be a fighter for them, and that is the most important thing.
"And this lad [Tim Roca] is that."
Here's what the Labour and Conservative candidates themselves had to say.
"We have run out of steam with the current [dissolved today] government," said Mr Roca.
"They have got no ideas, we can't carry on with the same. We have had 100 years of the same party representing Macclesfield and we have got absolutely nowhere, it is time for a change.
"I am incredibly privileged that after I was the candidate in Macclesfield in 2015, I was elected in the Council down in Westminster. I have been the deputy leader of the city council so I have got bags of experience in local government, putting that to one side to come up here and work in my hometown. I think that will stand me in good stead because I know how to get things done."
Macclesfield Nub News asked Tim to elaborate on 'putting that to one side'.
"I stood down as Deputy leader, I will be standing down as a Councillor in Westminster. I am focussed on Macclesfield, this is my hometown."
Macclesfield Nub News then questioned "When will you be standing down?"
"I am submitting my resignation," he said.
Tim has faced criticism for a perceived lack of localness. Tim, until January 2024, was leader of Westminster City Council and is currently still a Westminster City Councillor. Tim has also worked for the University of Westminster.
"My background is in higher education, I have worked for universities since I left university 15 years ago, been in business management, business planning that sort of thing so I am not somebody who has gone into professional politics from the off," Mr Roca explained.
"I have had a life in the real world before that. But now with the experience I have running a major English city, I am hoping to put that to good use supporting my hometown."
Macclesfield Nub News pressed Tim to say - if elected - he still might put Westminster's interests before Macclesfield (as parliament is based there). Tim had this to respond: "I stood down as soon as I was selected as Deputy Leader of the Council [Tim was selected as prospective parliamentary candidate in November 2023, but formally left his Deputy Leader of Westminster City Council role in January 2024]. My commitment is 100% to Macclesfield, that is why I live here, this is where I am from originally, and if elected, as I say, I will be the first MP elected to be from this area originally in 100 years."
"I live here, I have been living here for some time, and I will be living here full-time if I become the MP. I go down to Westminster for work of course, but this is where I am based, this is where my family are, this is where I live."
Emily Thornberry added: "So yeah, he has gone elsewhere to work, but one of the problems in areas like this is that so many of our brightest and best do leave in order to get a job elsewhere."
"We do need to turn our economy round so that people can if they want to, stay in the area and do well in Macc, rather than having to leave elsewhere."
Ms Thornberry also stressed to Nub News of Labour's plans to tackle policing to in-turn revitalise our high streets, by establishing a central procurement to generate funds that they believe can be spend on Britain's town centres. Tim Roca called the decline of Macclesfield's Mill Street 'really, really, sad', which is where his campaign HQ resides.
Conservative David Rutley had this to say on rejuvenating Macclesfield's high street: "The town centre needs more focus, and more investment, and Cheshire East Council have not taken that investment forward."
"So what I am trying to do is work with local businesses, we are looking at all sorts of new initiatives like a business improvement district. I think we need to look at mixed development for the town centre as well, encourage more people to come move in and live in the town centre. We have seen that with the Crossings with Peaks and Plains. There is a huge amount of work that needs to be done. We need to bring people around the table again and deliver for the town centre. It needs to become a more distinctive destination."
On recently announced policies, David Rutley praised Rishi Sunak's national service or voluntary plan for eighteen-year-olds, seeing it as a real opportunities for Macclesfield charities and organisations like the Police and the Fire Service to collaborate.
Whereas Tim Roca described the plans as 'promise that has been made on the back of a fag packet'.
Meanwhile, Mr Rutley called Tuesday's announced police of a the new triple-locked personal allowance for pensioners 'a really important step forward'.
Elsewhere, Labour and the Conservatives are not the only candidates running.
There are five other candidates vying to win the July 4 election.
Macclesfield Nub News reached out to the other candidates, to find out their response to the big names coming to Macclesfield.
Amanda Iremonger, running for the Green Party said: "I would like to think that sending senior party figures to launch events for candidate's campaigns in Macclesfield showed their love and respect for our wonderful constituency."
"Sadly, I do not believe this is the case. More positively, this is not the 'launch of campaigning' by either of these guys, they have been out and about on periodic visits North for quite a while. How fortunate we are that they can get to us quite quickly from their Westminster homes. It will not change the Green Party campaign, or policies."
"We will continue to focus on; addressing the NHS, health, and social care crises and calling to keep the NHS in public ownership, improving the affordability and availability of housing - with our drive for the right homes, right place, right price, and improved protection for renters, as well as water quality, plus measures introduced to help with the cost of living.
"There will be a lot of pressure on our voters to "vote tactically" either to keep in or get out David Rutley. But tactical voting only works if you end up with what you want. If you want a fairer, more equal society committed to addressing the climate emergency (and keeping the NHS in public ownership) you need to vote Green. If we end up with a Labour government, we will need Green Party MPs in parliament to hold Labour to account if they continue to u-turn away from Green policies as they have done in sidelining the Green New Deal and dropping the £28bn green investment plan. We also need votes to fund our parliamentary support team - voters need to know that every vote brings funding (known as 'Short Money' which helps parties to function in our democracy.
"I am involved with many activities in the local community in Macclesfield - as a recent student at Macc College, as a facilitator for an addiction recovery group, and of course actively supporting environmental activities.
"In addition, voters looking for a committed, local woman, or someone with a global business career, then The Green Party offers real hope for real change. Readers will see this in the difference in style between our party, and my campaign, and that of the old teams."
Dickie Fletcher, running for the Social Democratic Party said: "Both main parties clearly believe the electorate of Macclesfield have not yet made up their minds about who to vote for."
"This reflects a deep mistrust of all the main parties and the lack of visionary thinking from them about how to solve the country's deep problems. Labour and Conservative offer the same technocratic, globalist approach, with barely a babbling brook between them, never mind clear blue water.
"As the SDP candidate, I am standing for a party that offers solutions. The SDP wants to revitilise our industrial base and manufacturing centres, with a strong focus on 'reshoring'.
"[The SDP wants to] fast track our nuclear power industry to help solve the energy crisis. [The SDP wants to] rain and reskill our workforce for decent paying jobs; instead of relying on low wage immigration, which should be paused for a generation.
"And we must build, build, build; with a renewal of social housing and beautiful neighbourhoods, to help solve the family formation/housing crisis. People are rightly looking for real change. The SDP believe that the country has been on the wrong path for over 30 years, regardless of whether Labour, Lib Dems or the Tories have held sway.
"Our economy is hyper-financialized, debt based and far too concentrated on the city of London.
"We have a history of world leading industry, technical innovation and hard work.
"We must re-invigorate that and power our way out of the stagnation we find ourselves in. Vote SDP for real change."
Dickie is hosting a meet-and-greet event in Macclesfield town centre on June 30.
Neil Christian is running for the Liberal Democrats, for the third time.
Plans have not been finalised for the Liberal Democrats campaign launch in Macclesfield, so it is not known if they will have a special guest like Labour and the Conservatives, the two best-performing parties ahead of the Lib Dems at the 2019 General Election in Macclesfield.
Macclesfield Liberal Democrats said: "Conservative and Labour choices of guests to launch their campaigns tell the voters of Macclesfield all they need to know. Lord Cameron as PM began the chaos and damage of Brexit we as a nation are still recovering from. Emily Thornberry is a long standing Labour MP and was around in 2008 when Labour crashed the economy, just like every Labour Government before that."
Neil also responded to request for comment on the star-studded Labour and Conservative launches.
Neil Christian, prospective parliamentary candidate for theLiberal Democrats said: "It is time for real change, successive Labour and Conservative governments have made us poorer as they've passed the reigns of political power between them."
"For too long Macclesfield has been ignored by governments of both colours and there is little sign of this changing."
"There is hope, the Liberal Democrats offer the chance of real change, economic stability, and a fair deal for all.
"We have demonstrated that we are a natural home for disenchanted voters having won four stunning parliamentary by-elections in rural Constituencies just like Macclesfield."
Macclesfield Nub News seeks to also cover other parties campaign launches, in a similar fashion to Labour and the Conservatives as per above.
Christopher Wellavize, Independent candidate said: "In answer to your question about what I think about Lord Cameron coming to Macclesfield to support Mr Rutley's campaign launch, well my first response was that even if Elvis really is still alive and stood beside local Dave it would not make any difference."
"Those people still voting Conservative would cast their vote for the party whatever their policies were and even if Nadine Dorries was the leader. The party is unrecognisable from the one nation party embodied by Geoffrey Howe, Willie Whitelaw, Michael Heseltine and Ken Clarke all politicians I have huge affection for.
"Now we have a chaotic assortment of right wing zealots totally out of touch with the needs of the country where everything they attempt is wrong headed and doomed to fail. Enough. We all know how bad they have been for our wonderful country.
"Emily Thornberry joining 'Our Tim' on the stump. Continuing the above theme Taylor Swift would have boosted his chances not sure about Emily. Like Taylor she is not a local girl, and probably is not fully conversant with the challenges facing Macclesfield.
"Having said that I love Emily. She has a sense of humour acts honourably when called on to do so and has real passion and convictions; someone who is ballsy and would make a great leader of a socialist Labour Party.
"Why do I think that I am a more viable alternative to the other candidates? Well firstly I do not know any big guns in politics or any celebrities and am non the poorer for that. So I have to rely on my community to endorse me. They know my qualities. I love life everything about it love people all people I desperately want to see us regain our joy in the gift of each new day and be a happy prosperous nation. I have faith. Faith in peopl. Faith in a loving just God. Faith that when we all come together we can heal each other our society economy and environment. I have the determination to be a good man, a good MP, and a good leader.
"I know how to run a business how to inspire people to trust people and to encourage them to follow their dreams. I value money as a tool to build things with to invest in people our people and not to waste it on vain glorious fantasy projects or endless enquiries and consultations.
"Every penny is hard earned and should be spent wisely. I understand at a profound level the challenges we face can articulate them and bring people of good will together to move forward positively. I believe I could be an excellent constituency MP and would bring a much needed breath of fresh air to Westminster."
The Independent candidate will be hosting a political rally at 3.00pm on Sunday June 9 at Prestbury Plant and Garden Centre.
Stephen Broadhurst is running for the Reform UK Party, and had this to say on Emily Thornberry and Lord Cameron's visits, "I actually think this is all just a very desperate distraction – a circus show which will fool no one to what is actually happening and not happening here in the Macclesfield Constituency," he said.
"I hope Cameron pulled Rutley to one side and seriously asked him 'Honestly Dave, between you and I, what have you actually been doing here for the past 14 years?' and whoever this Labour Lady is looked around and thought 'Wow! I hope Tim gets away with people – the voter - not realising that all this damage has been caused by a Labour ran Cheshire East Council, besides my train leaves in five minutes.'
"The key thing missing amongst all of their razzle dazzle, empty words/hot air, gawdy shops, leaflets, newsletters and smoke and mirrors is: 'What are they actually going to do to fix issues not only on a national level, but here in The Macclesfield Constituency – which not forgetting both of these parties have caused?'
"Thanks to Liz Truss's 'lettuce moment' (no mention of that by the Conservatives), I have and still am paying for that with the trebling of my mortgage.
"On the brink of bankruptcy, as a further insult, Cheshire East Council desperately needs the extra (and easy) council tax money by wanting to build thirty-six thousand houses above their original target.
"In the meantime, we continue the fight to save Danes Moss and other green areas which we enjoy and want to protect. If CEC have their way, gone and lost for ever.
"Imagine a Labour MP in cahoots with a Labour ran Cheshire East Council? Is he, Labour, really going to challenge his comrades and hold them to account as to what does and doesn't happen here? I for one highly doubt it.
"There is nonsense being said about voting for Reform will allow Labour to get in. A vote is a vote and if you truly want reform, I promise you will get reform through me!
"Together we cannot just make Macclesfield great, we can transform it into the fantastic place which it can and wants to be. Let's get Macc, back on track!"
One of the aforementioned seven candidates will become Macclesfield's MP, after the July 4 election.
It is not too late to register to vote. You must register by by 11:59pm on 18 June 2024 to vote on July 4.
Last week, Macclesfield Nub News reached out to the seven candidates to find out their views on the potential closure of Bollington Library.
Please click here to read that article.
And every week, Macclesfield Nub News will be quizzing MPs on certain issues from Danes Moss to household waste recycling centres, in a similar format to the article above.
To suggest a topic, please click HERE.
For a more brief summary about each candidate, please click HERE.
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