Sunday, 25 May 2014

EXCLUSIVE: Senior Labour MP writes to Ukip voters 'We were WRONG, we are SORRY' #BringBackOurGirls #Entertain9jar via @myentertain9jar

ONE of Labour's most senior figures has written an open letter to Ukip supporters today, apologising for the party's previous views on immigration concerns and urging them to "keep an open mind".

 Labour Shadow Justice Secretary Sadiq Khan[GETTY]
Shadow Justice Minister Sadiq Khan concedes Labour has been "too quick to dismiss concerns about immigration, or even worse - accused people of prejudice" in the letter, which was sent exclusively to Express.co.uk.
Mr Khan lists a range of policies designed to entice former Labour voters thinking of voting for Ukip back to his party.
The letter comes just days after Ukip saw its number of councillors across England rise by 161, eating into Labour support in Essex and the North.
Below is the letter in full:
The Labour Party has changed. We know we made mistakes. We're determined to put them right.
Sadiq Khan
An Open Letter to Ukip supporters
I know you are fed up with politics as usual. I get that you are angry at the political parties. I understand you feel that successive Governments have done too little to help you. 
Too many people have struggled for far too long. Too little of the benefits of growth have gone to working people and too much to the very wealthiest. 
Wages have barely increased whilst the cost of everything - from housing to energy and food - has rocketed. 
And in too many places immigration has driven down local wages.
I understand why people think that politicians do little to help them. 
The expenses scandal and sleaze has broken trust. 
There aren’t enough politicians brave enough to stand up to vested interests - the banks, businesses paying below a decent wage or bad landlords. 
And politicians seem to speak a different language.
But the Labour Party has changed. We know we made mistakes. We're determined to put them right.
Take immigration. In the past, we were too quick to dismiss concerns about immigration, or even worse - accused people of prejudice. 
We all remember Gillian Duffy. We were wrong. We are sorry.
So what are we offering now? Learning the English language will be a priority. 
We will change the rules on child benefit - so that it's no longer paid to children outside of this country. 
We will crack down on businesses that pay below the minimum wage and ensure local wages are not undercut. 
And companies that employ people from outside the EU will be forced to offer apprenticeships to local young people.
But it's not just immigration. We will close the gap between what you earn and what you spend. 
We will stop hard working people from being ripped off in our economy. 
We will make renting more affordable and scrap extortionate letting agency fees. 
On our watch, the minimum wage will be raised and we will promote a higher living wage for all. Energy prices will be frozen.
It is always easier to lose someone's trust than to win it back. 
But over the next year we will do everything to prove that we are on your side. 
We will work to improve your local community and stand up alongside you against the vested interests that make life harder. All we ask is that you keep an open-mind.
Sadiq Khan is Shadow Justice Secretary and Shadow London Minister. 

No comments:

Post a Comment