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From left, Gospel Oak candidate Chris Philp, Hampstead
candidate Kirsty Roberts, Alan Duncan and Gospel Oak candidate
Lulu Mitchell. |
Top Tory jumps in to back candidates
Conservative trade spokesman on election
walkabout
TORY shadow trade and industry minister Alan Duncan was parachuted
in to South End Green yesterday (Wednesday) to join Conservative
candidates campaigning for next week’s election.
The MP for Rutland and Melton joined Camden Tory leader Piers
Wauchope, Hampstead councillor Mike Greene, Tory candidates
and community activists on a walkabout to look at the problems
facing small businesses in the area.
With the opening of a new Marks and Spencer Simply Food store
in Pond Street and the closure of two long-established businesses
in South End Green in the last month – The Delicatessen
Shop and Polish restaurant Zamoyskis – many residents and
small traders have expressed fears about the future of their
high street. But Mr Duncan, who accused the Town Hall of being
“arrogant, insensitive and uncaring”, said the problem
was “not so much with competition as fairness in their
costs”.
He said: “Camden Council do so much harm to small businesses.
It’s things like parking and badly placed street furniture
that cost money. It is not a council that listens to the needs
of the community.”
Gospel Oak Tory candidate Chris Philp added: “We are looking
at things like making sure that people can park closer to the
shops, lower business rates, concessionary rents and less employment
regulation.”
Mr Duncan visited Pond Street florist John Atkins as part of
his tour and signed a petition to save his stall. Mr Atkins
is currently in a dispute with the Town Hall over the construction
of a shelter for his stand.
Afterwards Mr Atkins, a lifelong Labour voter, said he would
be voting Conservative at the elections on Thursday.
He said: “They can’t be any worse than Labour. I’d
always voted Labour but the way they are running the country
at the moment is terrible.”
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