Welcome to Devizes Constituency Labour Party
We are constantly working for you in the community, with many years of experience in local government we are well placed to represent you.
Please feel free to contact us on matters of local concerns by email ... This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
We are always ready to bring our influence to bear: drawing attention to issues in the community through our campaigning, and lobbying for change with our local political leaders across our constituency.
Election result 2019
Emma Dawnay – Green Party: 2,809
Danny Kruger – Conservative Party: 32,150
Rachael Schneider – Labour Party: 7,838
Jo Waltham – Liberal Democrats: 8,157
The turnout was 51,223, which equates to 69.81%
To say that this was a great disappointment would be an understatement.
However, we would like to thank all those who voted for us and to acknowledge the huge amount of work behind the scenes that party members put in, the long hours, the miles walked and the enthusiasm to see democracy facilitated.
We are very grateful for all the hard work that Rachael Ross put in standing as our candidate.
To quote President Bill Clinton "The people have spoken, but it will take a while to determine exactly what they said.".
We offer our congratulations to Danny Kruger MP and look forward to working with him in the future.
We wish you all a Happy Christmas and a Brexit New Year.
Demonstration in Devizes
Devizes Labour was demonstrating on the streets of Devizes on Saturday 31st. Part of a nationwide protest to stop the “very British coup” - as John McDonnell calls it - as Boris Johnson attempts to close Parliament down, determined to crash the UK out of the EU on 31st October.
My sense from the people we chatted to on our way from the Market Place to deliver a letter to Clare Perry MP, was that they are very angry - and very worried - about this assault on our democracy. A rainbow of cross party support turned out for the protest which was organised by Devizes 4 EU.
Ultimately though, this goes beyond leave or remain, beyond deal or no deal: we have to challenge Government to uphold democracy, radically rethink how we do politics and bring in a Labour government to get started as quickly as possible on rebuilding Britain to put people and planet before profit.
Henry Hunt – a local Wiltshire radical hero
Henry Hunt – a local Wiltshire radical hero
by Di Harris
200 years ago this August, two men local to Devizes were right at the centre of the dreadful Peterloo Massacre in Manchester. Henry ‘Orator’ Hunt, a gentleman farmer born and raised near Enford and married to a woman from Devizes, was a radical campaigner for political reform. He had been invited to Manchester to speak at a public meeting about his passion for equal rights, the vote for all, parliamentary reform and an end to child labour.
His views were a threat to the establishment and it was perhaps no surprise that the government wanted to prevent him from speaking. Attempts were made to arrest Hunt and the hussars were sent into the crowd when a riot erupted. Eighteen ordinary, unarmed, working people were killed, whilst 500 were injured. Devizes MP Viscount Sidmouth was Home Secretary at the time.
Labour working together across Wiltshire
There are five Constituency Labour Parties (CLPs) covering Wiltshire and we are working together to support constituents and prepare for local and general elections. Only three of the 98 seats on Wiltshire Council are held by Labour and the Lib Dems are currently the official opposition to the Tories. We want to change this.
In October representative from Devizes, Chippenham, South West Wilts, Salisbury and North Wilts CLPs met to discuss local priorities and plan an agenda for joint campaigning on social care, policing, housing and education.
Campaigning and canvassing
Devizes Labour Party is busy campaigning and canvassing support across the constituency.
We want to find out what issues (local and national) people are concerned about, and how your local Labour party can lead real change in our constituency.
We have had a lot of fun out and about in Devizes, Marlborough and Tidworth canvassing residents' views on what Labour should focus on, as well as running several street stalls in town centres. We will continue canvassing and having these "community conversations" over the coming months.
Local issues raised have included problems with roadworks, a reduction in medical facilities, a worry about homelessness and lack of housing for young people. Wider concerns include closure of several education facilities and a deep concern 're the way Brexit is going and how it is dividing our country.
We have already taken up some specific residents' issues with local Councillors and will be building all of these issues and concerns into our local Manifesto for Devizes constituency which will form Labour's vision for our community.
If you want to find out more please get in touch or head over to our Labour Facebook Group for more info about our canvassing and campaigning.
Updates for all of our events can be found on Campaign Bulletin
