Hitchin resident, councillor and education campaigner Kay Tart (37) has been selected as the Labour Party’s prospective Parliamentary candidate for the Hitchin and Harpenden constituency following a vote open to over eight hundred local members. Kay will now campaign for Labour and look to build on the Party’s local success in the 2017 General Election, when it polled 19,000 votes, coming second to the Conservatives, and well ahead of the Liberal Democrats, who won 6,000 votes.

The Labour Party aims to run a positive campaign focussing on areas of concern to local residents, such as the reliability, cost and availability of transport; the severe financial pressures being placed on the NHS and social care system; the affordability of housing, and the significant threat to life on our planet presented by climate change.

Kay was elected following a well-attended hustings debate in Hitchin, where three short-listed candidates gave presentations and featured in a robust question and answer session. David Josephs is the chair of the local Labour Party. He said,

“We elected to have an All Women’s Shortlist in Hitchin and Harpenden as women are still significantly under-represented in Parliament. Our shortlist was incredibly strong, and each candidate was given the opportunity to share their vision. Kay is a worthy winner and she will be a fantastic candidate, but the election process showed just how many talented individuals from all walks of life we have in our Party.”

Speaking after her win, Kay Tart said:

“I am absolutely delighted and honoured to have been selected as the Labour PPC for Hitchin & Harpenden. The issues that matter to local residents matter to me, that’s why I became involved in politics. I have been campaigning for over a year for proper education funding and an assessment system that is fit for purpose, and I will continue to do so, but we also need truly affordable housing, a transport system that works, a fully funded health and social care service and to take proper positive action on climate change, both locally and nationally.”

“These are all things that I am passionate about and that Labour in government can deliver. It’s time for change, it’s time to rebuild our public services and it’s time to bring our communities together. Our residents need a voice in parliament that truly represents them.”

Want to get involved in Kay’s campaign in Hitchin and Harpenden? Why not:

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