Shout out for a Sure Start!

Yvonne Fovargue has this week given her backing to a new campaign in support of Sure Start Children’s Centres, which provide universal services for all families and children under five.

The ‘Shout out for a Sure Start’ campaign was launched this month by the charity 4Children and the popular children’s TV character Peppa Pig. The campaign has the support of children’s charities, trade unions and the Children’s Secretary Ed Balls and parents can find out more by visiting the new website at http://www.shoutoutforasurestart.org.uk/

Yvonne said, “Parents value their local Sure Start Children’s Centres, the services on offer and the help and support at hand. Most parents I talk to can’t imagine what it would be like if their local Children’s Centre was not there."

“That’s why I’m backing this campaign to shout out for Sure Start and promote the universal services on offer for families across Makerfield like childcare and healthcare."

“Back in 1997 there were no Children’s Centres but thanks to investment from the Labour government every community across Wigan will be served by a Sure Start centre."

“The Labour Government has said it will keep investing in Sure Start because the early years of a child’s life are so important. But I know local families will be worried about Conservative plans to cut £200 million from the Sure Start budget. This is the equivalent of one in five Children’s Centres in our area – having to close their doors."

“David Cameron also says the Tories would take Sure Start away from families on modest and middle incomes and focus it on the poorest families instead. But I think that would be a big step backwards. Sure Start makes a difference to hundreds of families across Makerfield. It should be open to all parents and children, not just a few. That’s why I’m going to keep shouting out for Sure Start and urge local parents to back the campaign too.”

Yvonne is pictured with Labour's candidate for Hindley Green Ward, Keir Stitt at the Hindley Sure Start centre on Mornington Rd.

Change We Choose

Yvonne signs up to six point promise

Yvonne Fovargue Labour's Parliamentary Candidate for Makerfield has signed up to a six point promise that she will put the public's interest first. Speaking last year Gordon Brown said, "The first thing we've got to do is to clean up politics once and for all. We've got to make sure that people see that their members of Parliament and those who seek to represent them are acting in the public interest and not in their self interest."

"We've got to make sure that people see that their politicians are in it not for what they can get, but for what they can give. That's why we promise that we will uphold the highest standards of integrity, we promise that there will be transparency in everything we do, we promise that we will report to our constituents and do so as regularly as possible. Report not only to our own party but to all sections of the community in our constituencies so they can raise their concerns with us and we can be true and honoured servants of the people of this country.

The pledge signed by Yvonne today is as follows:

The Labour Party is a great movement for change, made up of people determined to serve the public interest and not their own.

As a Labour candidate:

I seek elected office for the honour of serving the public and our democracy;
I will subscribe to high standards of integrity, transparency, accountability and prudence with public money;
I will publish online my full salary and parliamentary allowances;
I believe it a duty to hold regular meetings, engagement events and surgeries with my  community and constituents and will do so;
I will communicate regularly with my electorate and will be available through email, telephone and other means to my constituents;
I will regularly report back to my constituency party as well as to my constituents.

Yvonne Fovargue said, "It is important that constituents know what they are getting from their candidates at the next general election. I am delighted to make these promises to the people of Makerfield."

Makerfield Labour Party selects Parliamentary Candidate

Yvonne Fovargue has been selected by Makerfield Labour Party as its Prospective Parliamentary Candidate. Please see Article for more information.