Staffordshire Moorlands Labour have got themselves worked up by Karen's campaign to protect the Moorlands from Ed Miliband's plans to allow Stoke-on-Trent to build on the green parts of the Moorlands.
In response to Labour Party requests to withdraw our campaign to stop Labour’s land grab, Karen said:
“I’m really pleased that Moorlands Labour are highlighting this policy, albeit accidentally, locally. But it’s a shame that they have chosen to deny what their leader has said – that he will "back" local authorities that need to build new homes, like Stoke-on-Trent.
Labour run Stoke-on-Trent City Council have told me they are looking to build at least 300,000 homes to make Stoke-on-Trent a "core city" and they expect that some of these new houses will be in the Moorlands. This will mean building on Staffordshire Moorlands countryside and jeopardising our local communities. Ed Miliband has promised that he will give local authorities like this the "Right to Grow", while "condemning" councils that block housing development, like Staffordshire Moorlands. These aren’t my words – they come straight from a Labour press release. How disappointing that Moorlands Labour don’t seem to know what their party is proposing nationally or the plans of their Labour colleagues running Stoke-on-Trent City Council.
It is clear that Labour wishes to divide the Moorlands from comments made at the Boundary Review consultation. I would call on local politicians to categorically confirm that Ed Miliband’s policy on the “Right to Grow” has been dropped. The only way to stop this land grab is to keep Labour out in May. We need both an MP and a Council that will attract the right sort of development whilst protecting our green spaces.”
If you would like to view Labour’s policy please click here.
Photo courtesy of Sebastian Ballard (Wikicommons)