THE SHADOW Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry said Rugby needs more investment in its hospital, schools and transport during a visit to the town today (Thursday November 21).
She stopped off to meet with Labour candidate Debbie Bannigan on her way to a rally in Leamington, having attended the party’s manifesto launch in Birmingham this morning.
Speaking to The Observer, Ms Thornberry said: “I can understand why so many people are moving into the area, and why it’s such a great place to live – but many people say there is just not enough investment in the area.
“The train station and railway lines are not up to it, and St Cross Hospital continues to be cut.
“You can’t have a town of this size that doesn’t have proper investment.”
She described small towns such as Rugby as the ‘engine of our economy’.
“We will be making real investment in our infrastructure,” she added. “We’re going to be putting money into our railways, broadband, our hospitals, and schools.
“You will see a great improvement.”
Launching the party’s manifesto in Birmingham this morning, Labour has promised to ‘transform’ the UK and to renationalise rail, mail, water and energy.
Leader Jeremy Corbyn also vowed a ‘green transformation’ of the economy, aiming to get the UK ‘on track’ for a net-zero carbon system by the 2030s.
The manifesto sets out plans for a windfall tax on oil firms and scrapping rises in the state pension age.
In response, a Conservative spokesperson said: “A Corbyn-led government would mean higher taxes, the chaos of two more referendums, and frightening levels of debt.”
