The Durham Miners' Association was formed to protect the rights and welfare of our communities. The DMA has fought long and hard to bring fairness and humanity to our society.
Today, we call on the people of County Durham and the North East to remember what the Tories are, the millionaires they represent and the savage cuts they will impose on our children, our health service, our older people and the most vulnerable.
There are many reasons to vote Labour. The future of our communities and our country depends on it.
1. For our young:
Only Labour will help our young people. We can't go on having the highest level of child poverty in Britain. As parents and grandparents we must vote to make sure that our children have a decent start in life. Our region has the country's lowest number of young people going to university. Labour will get rid of crippling student debt and bring back proper grants for education and training. With so many of our young people out of work we need proper apprenticeships and employment opportunities. Only Labour will provide our young people with real jobs and decent pay.
2. For our health:
Only Labour will fund our NHS properly. GP services are under massive pressure due to the Tory cuts and many of our A & E services are closing. We should not have to queue for hours to see a doctor or worry about when we can get our appointment at the hospital. Labour will pull our NHS back from the brink.
3. For our communities:
Only Labour will invest in our communities. This will bring jobs and training and give hope and opportunity to people of every age. Only a Labour government will solve the housing crisis by building the modern houses we desperately need.
4. For our homes and our money:
Only Labour will stop the Tory raid on our homes and our savings. Labour will make sure we all get the right health and social care that we all all need throughout our lives. You won’t be forced to sell your house to pay for the care you deserve in your later years and you won't have your winter fuel allowance taken from you.
5. For our society
Only Labour will end the brutality in our benefits system. Labour will scrap the inhumane Work Capability Assessment which has caused our people such pain and hardship. Under Labour, people will be treated with dignity and will be given the support they need.
The Tories care nothing for the young or the old in our communities. They have nothing but contempt for the huge contribution our mining communities have made to this country. And they don’t care about the future of our children or our grandchildren.
As we stand at this crossroads, we have a choice. Will we accept more of our children being fed from food banks and clothed from clothing banks? Or, do we vote for a better future?
This Thursday, we must vote for a Labour government led by Jeremy Corbyn. It is the only choice that gives us hope.