Meet the general election candidates for the Banbury seat: Suzette Watson (Labour)

This is the pitch from Suzette Watson, representing the Labour Party (all the other candidates can be found on our website):

I’ve worked across our communities for 25 years: taught in our schools, run youth clubs and organised public events and projects. I’m fed up with good opportunities being stolen away from our young people, our public services, our communities. As a lifelong environmental campaigner, I know we need a serious plan to address climate emergency.

I’ve lived in Milcombe with my son since he was born. After a complicated delivery, our lives were saved by Horton Maternity in 2001. I’m horrified by the terrible decision to downgrade maternity care. Aren’t you?

We should be honest about why this is happening. The Horton is at risk because for the last nine years the Tories have been underfunding our NHS. Now not enough beds, record waiting times, crumbling buildings, closing GP surgeries, staff shortages, and services, like maternity at the Horton, shut.

The NHS is only one victim of the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats. Justice, community, education – all cut.

Violent crime and robberies rose in Thames Valley while police officers were cut.

Seventy-five per cent of schools in our constituency are still worse off than in 2015. Social care on the brink, bus routes ended. Children’s centres, youth services shut. Food bank use, homelessness exploding. Full time wages don’t cover the cost of living.

I’m offering change you can count on: green new deal, working to tackle climate emergency and one million green jobs.

A five per cent public sector pay rise. Helping nurses, police officers, fire fighters, soldiers and teachers who’ve suffered real-term pay cuts for a decade. Brexit sorted in six months, with the people having the final say.

The NHS, youth service, education, social care getting the money they deserve.

There’s only one way to beat the Tories in north Oxfordshire. Vote Labour. Vote Suzette. Victory for the many.