Debbie Abrahams has been selected to fight Oldham East & Saddleworth
Labour has selected Debbie Abrahams as its candidate in the Oldham East and Saddleworth by-election which follows the disqualification of former MP, Phil Woolas. She beat Riaz Ahmed and Cllr Abdul Jabbar, who were also shortlisted yesterday, in a selection by members at a count at Queen Elizabeth Hall in Oldham.
Abrahams was Labour’s candidate in Colne Valley at this year’s general election, coming third behind the Tories and Lib Dems. She is a public health consultant, a former director of public health research at Liverpool university and is the former chair of Rochdale primary care trust. She lives in Oldham with her husband, a former professional cricketer who now coaches the England under 19s, and their two daughters.
On winning the selection she said:
“It’s an honour and a privilege to have been selected as Labour’s candidate. Now I’m looking forward to getting out and meeting as many residents as possible in the next few weeks to listen to their concerns.
It’s important that the real issues and concerns of people in the borough are not lost during this by-election campaign. People feel let down by the LibDem-Tory broken promises on police cuts, tuition fees and VAT. It doesn’t have to be this way, there is an alternative.
This is an opportunity for people to send a message to the government. Oldham East and Saddleworth needs a Labour MP who will stand up and fight for them. I’m determined to keep my promises and deliver the best possible deal for people in this borough”.
The writ is expected to be moved in the new year, with Labour looking to hold the by-election on February 3rd.
UPDATE: Debbie has just recorded this message..
Tags: by-election, Debbie Abrahams, Oldham East and Saddleworth, Phil Woolas
Excellent choice – someone who wouldn’t have had a chance in the Blair era, given that she is opposed to PFI and health care privatisation and is on the centre-left of the party
You mean someone who will be supportive of Ed Miliband’s efforts to consign Labour to the wilderness for the next generation, Mike? Brilliant.
Why is she opposed to Pagan Federation International?
Don’t know about the pagan thing, but 1. She is local 2. She has a strong cv of real world experience 3. She has genuine policy expertise (in the health field) 4. She has been active in the community 5. She is independent minded (eg criticising PFI).
I.E. The kind of candidate we need more of
“You mean someone who will be supportive of Ed Miliband’s efforts to consign Labour to the wilderness for the next generation”
No, somebody who will be supportive of Ed’s efforts to win the next general election as a progressive, centre-left party. Just look at the social attitudes survey to see where re-heated blairism will take us and the country.
Why does she not have a website?
When I search “debbie abrahams” or “oldham east labour” theres no link to an official site at all, just news articles including this one.
Debbie Abrahams for Colne Valley also appears high on the results list – not ideal when the party are trying to portray her as an Oldham local.
I won’t be supporting a party which gives shadow cabinet immigration jobs to racists, so I’ll help someone else out, but for supporters who do want to help, surely a website would be a fairly crucial point of contact
It is so funny, when Debbie was standing in the Colne Valley she was being portrayed as a local. In a hustling in Meltham, Debbie was asked about this subject and replied that she would continue to live and work in the area even if she were not elected! I now read that she lives in Newhay and standing for Oldham and Saddleworth.
I did not believe for one second that Debbie had local people and issues at the heart of her campaign for Colne valley as she found it very difficult to answer any local questions, I am pleased I am to be proved correct.
I suggest Debbie will go anywhere her party tells her to, and suggest that she is a career MP.
Ed Miliband says that PFI has unquestionably improved the lives of both staff and patients !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hi debbie
good luck for tomorrow.
I used to play cricket with John and his father Cec.
from Len Jones