Jenny Chapman launches election campaign to be Darlington MP

The Labour candidate gathered with supporters in the town's South Park this afternoon, November 9, in her pledge to fight for public services.

Ms Chapman said the election on December 12 is about issues "much more then Brexit", and that the conversation has "never been more broad and varied as they are this time".

She said: "This campaign is about so many different issues. We are electing a government for five years, and the people of Darlington are choosing their MP for five years.

"The people want to talk to us yes about Brexit, but also about the NHS, about the environment, about crime, schools, pensions and so much more.

“This is a national election and I think the message that people are giving us is that they want a champion for local people and for the town, that they want change in government and they really want a fresh start for the country."

Jenny Chapman lanuches her campaign

The Shadow Brexit Minister, who was first elected as MP for Darlington in 2010, added there is a "general frustration" with current politics and acknowledged the decision for the UK's government will be tight.

She said: "People want to know that they are going to elect somebody who will stand up for them and will deliver something better.

“I have lived her for 40 years, I have raised my children in the town, I use the same public services that everybody else does – the same schools, same hospital, same GP services - and I know what has happened to those services over the last ten years.

“I think this general election is tight, it’s unpredictable. Campaigns are always hard work and in Darlington you must never take a single vote for granted."