News / Bristol
Interview: Kerry McCarthy
Bristol will only be a successful city when life chances are opened up to everyone and no one is left behind.
This is the belief of Labour candidate Kerry McCarthy, who is fighting to create social mobility across the constituency of Bristol East and the wider community.
“We have this real problem, where Bristol keeps coming first in all these polls, but we have got to make sure that everybody can share in that,” says McCarthy.
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“There are some very poor areas in my constituency and there is a danger that they will be hit hardest by cuts to schools. It’s about making sure that schools are properly funded, but also about the life chances that are offered to people.”
The former lawyer who was elected MP for Bristol East in 2005 is clearly a well known figure on the streets of Brislington, frequently being interrupted to chat to constituents before resuming her passionate spiel about inequalities across the city.
“53 per cent of children in Bristol do not have access to work experience,” she says, adding that things such as work placements and unpaid internships are currently favouring students from more affluent families who have the means to support them.
“Start with properly funded early years provision, stop the school cuts, make work experience available for everyone, bring back means tested allowances (EMA), scrap tuition fees and ban unpaid internships,” argues McCarthy.
“There is a lack of diversity in certain sectors, such as the arts. It’s about those life chances and opening them up to everyone, being able to access types of things that some take for granted. Bristol will only be a successful city when that happens.
“I feel passionately about this is because of my own background. Out of five sister, I was the only one who went to university. I see my own family struggling to go to college because they cannot afford it.
“We need to encourage businesses to reach out to people of all backgrounds.”
Another issue she is concerned about is the people growing up here who are faced with a lack of affordable housing.
“I have done a lot of work on the environment and food waste and plastic pollution,” adds McCarthy. “We are launching a Feeding Bristol group soon. We have pulled together a number of organisations and hope to launch on July 14.
“No matter what happens in the election, I hope to see that through. We are also looking at launching a mobile food bank because people who can’t afford food often can’t afford a bus either.”
Kerry McCarthy was elected MP for Bristol East in 2005 and is standing again on June 8.
As soon as polls close on June 8, Bristol24/7 will be bringing you all the latest General Election news, views and results as it happens throughout the night.
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