The heading reads
“Strawberry Ward By-Election” followed by “Vote Ray McHale” above a photo of Ray himself. Ray is a man in his 60s with fairly short brown hair and he is wearing a red polo shirt.
Beneath the photo reads “Independent. A socialist and trade unionist”
The contents of the first page of the leaflet is as follows:
“I have been a resident of Strawberry Fields & Hope Farm for 40 years. I spent 30 years working for Cheshire County Council and CWAC. I was a Principal Planning Officer before taking up the role of UNISON Branch Secretary. Now retired, I am Secretary of West Cheshire Trades Union Council, an active member of Unite Community and a Trustee of Chester Friends of Palestine.”
· Keir Starmer’s Labour Government has badly let down working people, cutting Winter Fuel Payments and other benefits and failing to tackle poverty and low incomes by taxing the rich. Its silence on Gaza has been shameful.
· After 14 years of austerity and failed policies, the Tories are being replaced by the extremist right-wing Reform UK led by the Trump-supporting Farage.
· Reform UK claims it has easy answers, divisively scape-goating the 4.5% of migrants who arrive here in small boats and calling for mass deportations. But their plan to cut taxes for the rich, stop improvements to workers’ rights (like ending zero-hours contracts) and turning the NHS into an insurance based scheme, is a huge threat to ordinary people – as is their disastrous policy of not acting to tackle Climate Change. Our community doesn’t need Racism, Misogyny, Transphobia and Climate Change denial.
This page has a small photo of Ray standing holding some leaflets next to a large hand-written placard that reads “Edsential. Fair pay for CWAC cleaning and catering staff” next to the following paragraph.
“A HISTORY OF CAMPAIGNING
Ray has spent his life fighting for and negotiating for working people – beginning with collecting food for striking Miners in 1984. While seconded to the main council trade union he gained wide experience across all council services – often resisting privatisation. Since retiring he has continued to fight for decent council services and fair treatment of staff – regularly speaking at council committee meetings. He has been at the forefront of campaigns to defeat the Poll Tax (1989 – 1991), stopping the Council Housing, Stock Transfer (2005), through to fighting the closure of Respite Care Centres like Sutton Beeches (2021) and demanding the Council pays a Living Wage to cleaners, catering staff and care workers. “
Ray says:
“The impact of widespread cuts and job losses in Streetcare are evident to all - no more so than in our dilapidated town centre. While community initiatives are brilliant, they can’t replace proper services. If elected I will use my knowledge and experience to represent the people of Strawberry Ward, to be constructively critical and hold our increasingly arrogant, 10 year old Labour administration to account - so that we get better services. I would do this by working with other Local Independent Councillors like Jim Shannon, Gill Watson and Elizabeth MacGlashan who represent wards in Ellesmere Port and Chester.”
The final paragraph is entitled “towards a new left party” Due to the alt text character limit, if you would like a fully typed transcript, please reach out here or email ray.d.mchale@gmail.com
Just 3 weeks until the election on October 2nd. Our first leaflet has already encouraged multiple people to reach out with offers to help with the campaign.
#election #council #cheshire #ellesmereport #strawberryward #hopefarm #CWAC #cheshirewestandchester
