Richard Royal

In Hartlepool, Labour’s Iain Wright has taken power for granted for 11 years and has shown a lack of leadership and an absence of accountability over many issues, including the future of the hospital. It is time to give Hartlepool a strong and resolute voice by supporting the only candidate that can defeat Iain Wright.

I have personal experience of the effects of hospital closures and departmental transferals. I also know that for many people, where they are born is a matter of identity not just a hospital bed; and that traveling through traffic to another town is a long way in an emergency – so I will fight for the maternity and A&E departments to return to Hartlepool, and I will oppose any further removal of vital services. 

I will proudly promote Hartlepool as a vital economic hub in the north east, pushing for further investment in transport and infrastructure.

I believe that the success and future of Hartlepool United is inseparable from that of the town. I pledge to have an active and positive relationship with the club’s new owners and to support their plans for a more sustainable future for the ground. 

I will support further regeneration of the town but hold the council to account when it wants to spend YOUR money unwisely.

Hartlepool has the third highest council tax rate in Britain, yet clearly does not have the third best services or facilities provided by its Labour council. I will fight against the cavalier attitude of unnecessary high spending, arguing for lower council tax bills to hand money back to struggling local residents and businesses.

I will fight for lower taxes and less red tape for businesses, whilst making it easier for customers to access them by pushing for reduced or abolished parking charges and regulations.

I believe in supporting those who work hard and in encouraging those with aspiration and drive. There are now 1.75 million more people in work than under the Labour government in 2010. In Hartlepool, unemployment is down 33% year-on-year and has decreased for 33 months in a row. By raising the threshold to take those on the lowest incomes our of tax altogether, income tax has also been cut for over 25 million people, saving the typical taxpayer £705 a year. I will support the creation of new jobs and lower taxes for everyone in society.

My family and I have needed the welfare state at points in our lives but it should always be a safety net, not a hammock. I will ensure that benefits are there for those in need, but that a willingness to work is always rewarded.

I believe in protecting those who play by the rules and perform a positive role in society. I will back tougher policing and stronger sentencing, particularly for those who commit multiple crimes but are inexplicably free to commit more.

I also believe that anti-social behaviour and crime can be diminished by taking greater care of our town's heritage and the neighbourhoods within which we live and work. I will push for a clean-up of abandoned historic buildings and areas such as the undeveloped patches of land on the quayside. 

I will support local schools and colleges, promoting greater opportunities and a broader skills base for the next generation, for example through encouraging apprenticeships and work experience schemes.

I am a lover of all things aquatic and am fiercely loyal to seaside towns. I will protect and promote Hartlepool’s proud maritime and port-related industries by backing local businesses, encouraging further regeneration of the marina and sea-front, and fighting for greater protection against flooding and coastal erosion.

As an enthusiast of history and nature, I will help to protect the town’s heritage, encouraging the protection and renovation of historic buildings and monuments whilst opposing inappropriate and out-of-character developments.

As someone with a strong charitable background, I will support and work alongside local community groups and initiatives to foster a greater sense of pride in our surroundings and to better equip the next generation to succeed in the world.