Stephen Timms tells Manor Park event Labour is the right choice for East Ham

At his fundraiser at the Royal Regency on Thursday, Labour candidate Stephen Timms urged East Ham voters to re-elect him.

“We can all come up with good reasons why we need a change in government on May 7,” he said. “The government that we’ve had for the last five years isn’t interested in the people living in our area. We want a government that is interested in the many – not just the few.”

He acknowledged that the country was experiencing an economic recovery, but said it was not benefiting the most vulnerable – something he says that Labour can change.

“We need a government that people can benefit from,” he said. “I’m concerned with young people.

“Young people have had an exceptionally raw deal over the last five years.

“They have been hit hard with the educational maintenance allowance being scrapped, tuition fees trebling and we have sky-high youth unemployment that’s gone up in the last few months.

“It’s in all our interests that young people get a better start through higher education, apprenticeships or training.”

He said the NHS is a “burning issue” and Labour should be given a chance to reverse Tory legislation that was privatising chunks of it.

And he said that he was ready for a “lively” campaign.

“I’m looking forward to the campaign and I welcome a lively campaign from the Greens,” he said. “I hope after tonight people will be enthused to work for a Labour victory in the general election. My message to voters would be to look at what Ed Miliband is saying on the changes that a Labour government would make.”