General Election candidate profile Steven Parry-Hearn Labour Party

NORTH Somerset Constituency Labour Party parliamentary candidate is Steven Parry-Hearn.

One of Steve’s first political engagements in the constituency was a question and answer session at 3pm the Trinity Centre, Nailsea, in February. A full report can be read on the Nailsea People website.

The 41-year-old father-of-three was born in Port Talbot, south Wales.

He lives with his schoolteacher wife, Anna and their children in the Forest of Dean.

Steve works in North Somerset for the Shaw Trust, a national charity which helps people with disabilities into employment.

A member of the Bevan Foundation, Paul Robeson (/Wales) Trust, Institute for Public Policy Research and the Fabian Society he has a lifelong passion for social justice.

A former policeman Steve worked with the South Wales Police Force to tackle anti-social behaviour in his community and was a founder member and chairman of the Margam Community Forum, West Glamorgan.

This was used as the police model for the PACT (Partners and Communities Together) which gives people the chance to influence what happens in their neighbourhood.

More recently he has developed a social enterprise project to help young people from deprived and difficult backgrounds to achieve their potential.

He said: “I am aware that Nailsea and its surrounding villages are in the forefront of the ‘anti-pylon campaign’ to stop a link from Avonmouth to Bridgwater being bulldozed through its countryside.”

Steve wrote to National Grid objecting to its proposed 37-miles of massive overland cables and more recently he has added his name to the No10 petition calling on the Prime Minister Gordon Brown to ensure the cables go subsea.

He said: “I am deeply concerned that National Grid has brought forward two proposals which, by proposing to build up to 60km of power lines across rural and residential areas, do not give due regard to the adverse social and environmental impacts the line would cause for the local communities.”

And he asked National Grid to ensure the Infrastructure Planning Commission is presented with the fullest possible range of options and costs including going subsea along the Bristol Channel.

The boss of IPC has since told the National Grid to do exactly that.

Steve has criticised the financial institutions for the loss of confidence which led to the recession.

He said: “This unprecedented and imported banking crisis was created as a direct result of cynical, selfish greed - plain and simple.”

And he accused ‘Thatcherite-style bankers’ of ‘taking massive, reckless risks’ with other people’s money with their eye only on their bonuses.

He said: “ The only thought on their minds being how best to spend their obscene and inappropriate bonuses and not having a single care or thought on the ramifications of that risk turning bad.”

“The Government has had to devise a unique recovery strategy to stop the free fall in the economy while the advice from the Opposition was in-line with its policy during the past two recessions of their administration – to do nothing.

“It is uplifting to hear this week, albeit cautiously, that the recession is officially over. 

“We need to rebuild our economy and the morale and optimism of the good people of this country."

Steve believes through the resilience and sacrifice of the British people, the impact of the recession was blunted and shortened. 

As a consequence, the rate of unemployment, business failures, and home repossessions has been significantly lower than under the Tory recession of the 1990s (and with lower mortgage rates too).

Once we are through this year we have to tackle the deficit in a way that is credible, responsible and fair and that protects the frontline services people rely on – schools, hospitals, childcare and police numbers.

The rise in National Ins urance – which we propose, not this year, but in 2011 once recovery is secured – is a necessary measure to enable us to restore the public finances while maintaining the public services.

Steve took part in a lively political debate with the pupils of Gordano School, in Portishead and St Katharine's at Pill.

He was quizzed about the economy, university fees, the war in Aghanistan and the lack of prospects for students who want a less academic career. 

Steve said: "It was better than Question Time on television - the young people were so knowledgeable."

He added: “I look forward to campaigning hard in the coming election and promise if elected to work hard for all the people of North Somerset.”

It is a choice between securing the recovery with Labour or immediate Tory cuts that could tip us back into recession.

Steve added that voters will have a choice between a Labour Party pledged to protec frontline services or an unchanged Tory Party salivating at the prospect of taking an axe to them.

It will be between the granite-like resilience and big brain of Gordon Brown or the plastic PR and wobbliness of David Cameron, he added.

You can contact Steve on North Somerset Constituency Labour Party hotline 0792 892 0924.