#GE2017 Alex Salmond out campaigning with Joanna Cherry in Edinburgh South West

Earlier today in Broomhouse The Rt Hon Alex Salmond had lunch at the Broomhouse Centre with Joanna Cherry QC who is standing for re-election in the Edinburgh South West constituency.

The main reason for having lunch there (other than the fact that they serve delicious food) was to celebrate the fact that the Centre has won backing for its ambitious plans to demolish and rebuild. It has run a fundraising campaign meaning it now has enough funds

The Edinburgh Reporter asked Ms Cherry why she chose to bring her fellow Westminster candidate there.

She explained :”Broomhouse Centre is an amazing place which does an incredible amount of fantastic developmental work with people in the community. And that is not just in Broomhouse but in fact across South West Edinburgh and indeed in other parts of Edinburgh. There are many different and diverse projects which are run from here from working with elderly people with dementia in the Beacon Club to working with young carers and young people who are vulnerable.

“The projects which are started here don’t just stay here they fan out across the community. There are some really energetic people working here such as in the café with its fantastic home cooking. The kitchen here is used as a place for people to come and learn new skills making it easier for them to make the transition from being at school to being employed.”

Some of the groups represented at today’s campaign stop included Bridie Ashrowan the CEO of The Broomhouse Centre. The BIG Project which offers young people from 5-15 opportunities for personal growth. EVOC was represented by CEO Ella Simpson. EVOC helps to support develop and promote the interests and work of voluntary organisations in Edinburgh.

A representative from The Broomhouse Food Bank explained to us that demand is increasing all the time. And we also met up with the Rev Michael Mair who is the local minister at Broomhouse Parish Church.

And when asked about her main campaigning points Ms Cherry explained : “The Tories of course have tried to make this election about the independence question in a desperate attempt to trick people away from looking at their record in government. But what this election is really about is the Tories failed austerity project and their disastrous plans for Brexit. This will have a huge impact on jobs and the economy right across the United Kingdom. The austerity plans have failed despite making people, like the people in this community, suffer. They have failed to reach any of their targets on debt, deficit or borrowing. They are still hammering hardworking people in this community, people on low incomes by taking away their tax credits, forcing them to rely on the food bank just up the road.”

As to the need for food banks, Ms Cherry was scathing of the Tory benefit cuts. She said : “The food bank here helps people with all sorts of problems not just about having enough to eat. We should not need to have projects like this in modern Britain.  The Tories have tried to balance the books on the backs of the poor and haven’t even succeeded in doing that.

“Their manifesto issued today is more of the same. So it is the responsibility of politicians like me to remind voters what this election is really about – and that is whether you want another five years of Tory austerity or a positive vision for Scotland such as the one the Scottish Government has.”

Alex Salmond who is standing as SNP candidate in Gordon was there to see first hand the work that the Broomhouse Centre does. He was as expected very critical of the Tory government and warned agains the consequences of an increased Conservative majority at Westminster. He said : “If the Tory government get a big majority the sort of thing that will go through parliament will be things like tax credits.

“These measures would take more money off people who need it, hard-working people who need these tax credits. They would get less. People who are vulnerable like the disabled will continue to get treated shabbily and the bigger the majority the shabbier the treatment will get. The SNP provided the real opposition and so they must get sent back to Westminster because this Tory government needs real opposition.”

He then explained that the SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon has laid out a three point plan for this election. Firstly to provide the real opposition which Labour can’t provide just now, and everybody knows they can’t. Secondly to strengthen Scotland’s hand. Theresa May keeps talking about strengthening her hand. We have to strengthen Scotland’s hand to make sure that we don’t get the hard Tory Brexit that she is aiming for because that will cost jobs and prosperity in Scotland.

“Thirdly we must have the future of Scotland decided in Scotland by The Scottish Parliament and by the Scottish people. Scotland’s future must be in Scotland’s hands not in the hands of the government in Westminster.

“So these are the three points that Nicola Sturgeon has outlined and I think they are a powerful platform and a powerful mandate to seek in this campaign.”

As to whether he has had any input into the SNP manifesto which will be launched next week, Mr Salmond admitted he had put forward a few ideas, but said it is a personal document for the leader of the party. He concluded : “I am sure you will see a visionary and uplifting manifesto which does not talk about hard choices for other people, but rather talks about how we can work together to provide real hope for Scotland.”

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#GE2017 on the campaign trail with Joanna Cherry from Phyllis Stephen on Vimeo.

The candidates for Edinburgh South West are
BRIGGS, Miles Edward Frank – Scottish Conservative and Unionist
CHERRY, Joanna Catherine – Scottish National Party (SNP)
CHOUDHURY, Foysol Hussain – Scottish Labour Party
MIR, Aisha Jawaid – Scottish Liberal Democrats