Paul Mason for Stretford and Urmston

Dear Stretford and Urmston Labour member, MY LABOUR STORY
I‘m a journalist, Labour activist and NUJ
member - and I’m asking for your support to

I
was born in Leigh, to a family that had
become Stretford and Urmston CLP’s been weavers, tailors and miners for
candidate in the next general election. generations.
I was the rst in my family to go to
university - in Shef eld - where I joined
the Labour Party and stood on my rst
mass picket line, with striking
steelworkers
I was active in the Anti-Nazi League,
in the 1984-5 miners strike, the anti-poll
tax struggle and beyond
As a senior journalist at the BBC, and
later at Channel 4 News, I focused on
people’s struggles against exploitation
and injustice - from China’s migrant
workforce, to the Arab Spring and the
war in Gaza - and covered the ght for
dignity and respect in our own
communities here in Greater
Manchester, after decades of de-
industrialisation
In 2016 I quit my job to go public with
my support for Labour, and to take an
active part in opposing Brexit
In 2019 I helped lead demonstrations
against Boris Johnson’s shutdown of
parliament, and for a second
referendum to resolve the Brexit crisis
In 2019 I campaigned for Labour in
some of our toughest Red Wall seats. It
taught me that we only win when we
stand together - and that’s why, when
we lost, I was one of the rst people to
support Keir Starmer’s leadership bid
WHY I AM STANDING In February I was in Kyiv until just 36
hours before Russia invaded, helping
Labour, ASLEF and the NUM build
active solidarity with our Ukrainian
The next election will be critical. We don't just need to win a
counterparts. That experience made
majority in parliament. We have to inspire people to make big
me determined to step up and seek
changes
nomination as a Labour MP.
Raise real wages to match the soaring cost of living;
With Putin threatening our own
Devolve power, to give people control over the decisions
democracy, and the Tories prepared to
that affect their lives;
break every rule we need people in
Create millions of good, green jobs as we decarbonise the
Parliament prepared to stand up to
energy system to save the plane
them effectively
Shut down offshore tax havens, netting tens of billions a
My Mum’s family ed anti-Semitic
year to spend on schools, healthcare, councils, policing and
pogroms in the Russian Empire; my
our armed force
Dad’s family were miners at Astley
Repair the damage to our trade, industry and national
Green Colliery. I learned from both
security caused by the Tories’ hard Brexit
traditions this basic truth: everything we
To win, not just In Stretford and Urmston but across
have we had to ght for.
Britain, we have to start telling people a story of hope.
Now I want to ght for the people of
Stretford and Urmston.
FOR MORE SEE OVERLEAF…
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It’s not just about policies, or soundbites - it’s about

listening to what people want, and delivering where we have
the power to do so
The basic problem is this: working people can't earn
enough money to live a decent life, and don't have enough
power to make things better - while, for the rich, the avenues
to prosperity, security and respect are always open.
Labour’s aim should be to deliver prosperity, security
and respect for all
Our party exists to bring about a fundamental and
irreversible shift in wealth and power to working people. To
September 2019: Protesting against get there we're going to need a mobilised trade union
Johnson’s shutdown of Parliament. movement, grassroots community organising and a united
Labour Party. As your candidate, I will use my organising and
communications skills to make this happen

SOCIAL, ECONOMIC AND CLIMATE JUSTIC

If selected I will focus on the policies I fought for alongside
Keir Starmer in his leadership campaign
Raise income tax for the top 5% of earner
Abolish Universal Credit and the cruel sanctions regime
Scrap student tuition fees
Repeal the Trade Union Act.
A Green New Deal, so that with £28 billion a year
investment plan delivers well-paid jobs and cheaper
energy to people in the North West.
Common ownership of rail, mail, energy and water; end
outsourcing in our NHS, local government and justice
system
February 2022: Ukraine solidarity demo Full voting rights for EU nationals. Renew Freedom of
on the day of the invasion Movement with a new comprehensive trade deal that gives
Britain access to the Single Market
Massive devolution of powers to local level. A federal
system for the UK; regional investment banks and a
regional industrial strategy. Replace the Lords with an
elected system and move to Proportional Representation
Defend the Human Rights Act. Restore the independence
of the Electoral Commission and enshrine the ministerial
code of conduct into law. Defend women’s reproductive
rights against the new global onslaught
Repeal the Nationality and Borders Bill. For a fair migration
system with strong legal oversight. End the detention and
deportation of refugees

LOCAL PRIORITIE
Locally I will lead a determined ght against the crime, high
December 2019: On the board in housing costs and rip-off transport prices that blight the lives
of working class communities. I'll ght for local democratic
Birmingham North eld for election day
control over the big development projects planned along the
Manchester Ship Canal. As we renovate and decarbonise the
industrial and transport infrastructure that surrounds us the
WHAT NEXT?: Please ask your branch, principle should be: no decisions about us without us
union or af liated society to nominate me.
And get in touch FIGHTING RACISM, FASCISM AND ANTI-SEMITIS
From the Anti-Nazi League in the 1970s to Black Lives Matter
FIND OUT MORE today, I’ve always stood alongside the struggles of black,
Email: [supplied in CLP copy Asian and minority ethnic people. I’ve worked with Hope Not
WhatsApp: [supplied in CLP copy Hate to expose and counter racism, fascism and anti-
Twitter: @paulmasonnew Semitism
Facebook: facebook.com/
paulmasonnews If selected I will make my home in the constituency.
 

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