The leader of a Nottinghamshire council has declared he will be standing as a candidate to become the area's MP in the next general election. A video was uploaded to Bassetlaw District Council leader Simon Greaves' Facebook page, Simon Greaves for Bassetlaw, announcing his candidacy bid on Wednesday, June 22.
As reported by Lincolnshire Live, the two-and-a-half-minute campaign video sees Mr Greaves outline his reasons for signing up to the Labour Party 27 years ago and swipes at current Conservative MP Brendan Clarke-Smith, who won the seat in December 2019. Speaking into a camera before a white backdrop amidst a montage of clips, he said his priority as council leader had been on "jobs and investment into our area".
He said: "Backing business and enterprise, standing up for local services, supporting the vulnerable, building new council houses. I believe in standing up for Bassetlaw and championing our communities, not being a cheerleader for a lawbreaker in Number 10."
The final remark appears to be a reference to Mr Clarke-Smith's definite support for Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who faced a confidence vote earlier in June and who was fined back in April after he was found to have breached lockdown restrictions. Mr Greaves, born in Worksop, added that he felt the Conservatives' 12-year reign has had a negative effect on the country and puts an emphasis on the ongoing cost of living crisis.
He said: "What do we see as a result? Fewer GPs, fewer police, fewer nurses and overstretched services - all on their watch.
"They slash the funding and deflect the blame. Prices are rocketing and families are struggling, despite working harder than ever before to put food on the table.
"It's never the Tories' fault - but it doesn't have to be this way." The council leader and former solicitor goes on to put himself forward as the "champion Bassetlaw needs" with a "long-term vision for the area," showing visuals of projects in Worksop as well as the STEP nuclear reactor that could be housed at the West Burton A power station.
The district council, which Mr Greaves has led for the past 10 years, has received criticism for its controversial local plan, which initially proposed 10,000 homes in and around the district before plans fell through for a 4,000-home 'garden village'. Lincolnshire Live reported that a funding gap of £89-million had been found in the council's plan, though Beverly Alderton-Sambrook, the council's head of regeneration, said the team had devised ways to cover it - despite not asking developers to contribute to the CIL rates.
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