Shropshire Star

Graeme Currie to stand for Labour in north Shropshire

Graeme Currie has been selected as the Labour Party candidate for North Shropshire in the General Election.

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Graeme Currie

He was the Labour candidate in the 2015 and 2017 general elections and says he is proud to be running for the party again.

He is hoping to unseat Conservative candidate Owen Paterson, who has represented the constituency since 1997 and beat Mr Currie with a majority of 16,355 in 2017.

“I love living in North Shropshire, I chose to move here 15 years ago with my family, and I wouldn’t live anywhere else,” he said.

“This is a general election like no other. Nine years of Conservative and Tory-Lib Dem government have completely failed the people of North Shropshire and what scares me is things are getting worse.

"The number of people relying on food banks here in North Shropshire has gone up by 72 per cent in the last three years, schools across Shropshire have suffered £40 million cuts in the past five years. This election gives us a chance to make real change.”

Mr Currie said he believed people were tired of Brexit.

“This election is about more than Brexit, I want to see a Britain that works for the many, not the few. That a means building a fairer and more just society, tackling poverty, ending the housing crisis, investing in a productive economy, tackling the Climate Emergency, giving schools funding they need, and restoring the NHS to its place as the envy of the world.

"I believe that this is a once in a lifetime election to make the real change we need.”

“The Tories have had three years to get Brexit sorted, and they have failed. Only Labour have the way forward that can unite both Leavers and Remainers, I look forward to putting this case to local people.

"I believe that only Labour can bring this divided nation back together again. "

“Labour can win in North Shropshire. In the 2017 General Election over 17,000 people voted Labour here and the Lib Dem vote collapsed.

"It’s a two-horse race between the sitting MP Owen Paterson and Labour. Some people tell me that this is always going to be a Tory area, but it doesn’t have to be that way.

"In the recent past Labour was only just over 2,000 votes away from winning. We want to help and look out for each other, get treated quickly when we’re sick, make sure our kids get the best education possible, Labours plans are common sense.

“If elected I would only have this one job, to work for everyone in North Shropshire as a committed, locally focussed MP. I look forward to meeting with and listening to everyone in North Shropshire in the next few weeks.

"It’s time for real change and a fresh voice to speak up for the people of North Shropshire.”

Mr Currie, who lives near Ellesmere, is married to Lorraine and has two children Grace 26 who is an Art Student at Chester University and Ethan 23 who works in a local engineering firm.

He is a qualified social worker and runs his own independent social work business.

Before he set up his own business Mr Currie was a senior manager in local government and the NHS.

In 2017 he increased the Labour vote by 11 per cent in the constituency and came second to Owen Paterson.