Labour chooses new candidate for North Swindon

THE Labour Party’s Parliamentary candidate for north Swindon has been elected with an overwhelming majority.

Victor Agarwal, 36, an airline manager at Heathrow who lives in north Surrey, was chosen on Saturday to take on Tory candidate Justin Tomlinson.

There are many hardworking families across Swindon who are having a tough time with what’s happening in the economy. Things are starting to improve and I don't want a Tory MP to wreck the recovery
Victor Agarwal

They are vying for the role of north Swindon MP, held for the last 12 years by Michael Wills, who will give up his seat at the next General Election, which could be only 16 weeks away.

Mr Agarwal said: “I intend to be a very hardworking MP.

“There is a lot of respect for Michael, I aim to build on that and then do things in my own style.”

The candidate was decided by an election among North Swindon members of the Labour Party.

Mr Agarwal was elected in the first round of voting, meaning he received more than 50 per cent of the vote.

He will next return to Swindon on Wednesday.

From speaking to constituents, Mr Agarwal identified the future of Dial-a-Ride, and problems with flooding as some of the key issues people were concerned about.

He also said the impact of the recession would be a key issue in the election.

“There are many hardworking families across Swindon who are having a tough time with what’s happening in the economy,” he said.

“Things are starting to improve and I don’t want a Tory MP to wreck the recovery.”

Mr Agarwal has served as first a borough councillor for Spelthorne from 1998 and then as a Surrey county councillor from 2003, leading the Labour group between 2005 and 2009.

He said North Swindon was particularly interesting to him because it has many issues similar to his own area.

Although he does not live in Swindon, Mr Agarwal said he would be visiting the town on an increasingly regular basis in the upcoming months and, if he wins the election, he says he will move to the town.

“That’s my intention, it will be easier,” he said. “As a county councillor if I’m about shopping, constituents can raise issues with me.

“I intend to provide that same service if elected by shopping in the local shops.”

He said since he had started talking to constituents in October, he said he had found Swindon very welcoming.

“Ever since I first came to Swindon that was one of the things I liked,” he said.

“I got such a warm welcome from the beginning, people recognise me already.”

The leader of the Labour group, Coun Derique Montaut, said: “I think he’s an outstanding candidate.

“He’ll build on the work that Michael’s done.

“We’re living in troubled times and there needs to be a voice for Swindon.”

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