Leigh Redman has been selected by the Labour Party as its candidate at the next General Election for the new Bridgwater parliamentary seat which includes Burnham-On-Sea, Highbridge, Berrow and Brean.
Leigh, who is a Bridgwater Town Councillor as well as leader of the Labour group on Somerset Council, will represent the party at the next General Election.
He will face Claire Sully for the Liberal Democrats, Ashley Fox for the Conservatives, and independent candidate Pelé Barnes, who have previously announced they are running.
The Boundary Commission announced last year that constituency boundary changes will see Burnham-On-Sea, Highbridge, Berrow and Brean moving out of the existing Wells constituency and into a new Bridgwater constituency.
Giving his reaction to his selection, Leigh says: “I think if you had to write a list of what we would need from a candidate to be the Bridgwater & Burnham MP, it must include a candidate that is truly local, someone able to demonstrate a long resume of community work and actions in the area, they must be rooted in the constituency. That really is me to the core.”
“To hear that I had been selected to be the Labour party candidate for this constituency, my home town, fills me with joy. I was born and have lived, all my life, in Bridgwater. I have worked hard as a local community champion and Councillor for more than 30 years in unions and councils.”
“I believe that Bridgwater with the surrounding towns and villages really is the beating heart of Somerset. My parents worked hard to bring up three children. When my dad passed away young, we were brought up by our mum at a time when the Tories were attacking single mums.”
“I lived through the 80’s, through Thatcher’s Britain. I grew up with a Tory Government that waged war on its own people. All of this has made me the person I am: a fighter, a socialist, a diplomat, and an effective campaigner for local people.”
“After fourteen years in Government we have a Britain that is broken. Our public services are broken. An economy – broken, a Britain – broken. We need a Bridgwater voice in Westminster not another voice of Westminster in Bridgwater.”
“Locally for too long, we have been represented by a Tory who did as little as possible for Bridgwater.”
“I am Dyslexic, identified late, and had to find ways to compensate all my life. My unseen disability makes me better at what I do. I bring a different and a better look on life. And how we can fight the Tories and bring about a Labour government.”
“I am leader of the Labour group at Somerset Council, a council I have been a member of for 11 years. I was a member of Sedgemoor council for the last 12 years of its existence until it was absorbed into the new Somerset unitary.”
“As the Association of Labour Councillors rep for the south west, I speak up for and support our elected councillors every day. I have the privilege to Chair the Unite Regional political liaison committee, I work daily to communicate to our members about political issues.”
“As leader of the Labour group on Somerset council, I have been able to work to make our voice heard, and under my leadership Labour has impacted the residents of Somerset in a positive way. Taking this experience and building on it, working together we can defeat the Conservatives and take to Parliament a Labour voice. A Labour Bridgwater MP.”
“I know the constituency, I know the people in our communities, from village to large town, from workplace to workplace. I am honoured to have been chosen to be the Labour candidate for the new seat. I will work hard to be the candidate that Builds a Better Bridgwater. People know me to be, Councillor, Campaigner, Family man, Friend, Bridgwater to the core.”
