Cabinet Minister Ed Balls officially unveiled the manifesto, which sets out Labour’s plans to secure the economic recovery and protect frontline investment in communities across Leicestershire.

Rory Palmer said: “The choice is becoming ever more clear at this election. There is a choice between Labour’s plans to secure the recovery, protecting frontline investment in schools, Sure Start, the NHS and the police, or Cameron’s Conservatives who will bring devastation to our communities putting thousands of jobs at risk.

“Labour will put in the investment needed to drive the recovery, creating jobs for the future in new industries. Ed Balls made clear the choice facing people in Leicestershire and the East Midlands: a future fair for all with Labour or a future for the privileged few with Cameron’s Conservatives.

“The choice in Hinckley and Bosworth is clear. As the Labour MP for the area I will work to make sure the economic recovery is locked in and new investment and jobs come into the area. I will defend frontline services, just like we are doing now from the axe of the Conservative-controlled County Council. The results from the last four general elections show that it’s me as the Labour candidate with the strongest chance of beating Tory David Tredinnick in Hinckley and Bosworth.”

Rory Palmer has signed the pledge which can be found on the Royal British Legion’s website: www.timetodoyourbit.org.uk

The website features the British Legion’s general election manifesto, which sets out priorities for the next Government to improve conditions for Service Personnel and their families, the bereaved, veterans dependants.

Kevin Shinkwin, the Legion’s Head of Public Affairs, said: “We’re really grateful to Rory Palmer for pledging to do his bit. The entire Armed Forces family needs the support of politicians from all parties, and our manifesto outlines practical ways the next government can help.”

Rory Palmer said: “The Royal British Legion do a really important job and play a crucial role in highlighting the needs of the Armed Forces family. I have pledged to do my bit and I am pleased to be supporting the Legion’s campaign. I would encourage everyone to visit the website at www.timetodoyourbit.org.uk”

Labour’s Parliamentary Candidate for Bosworth, Rory Palmer, was one of the speakers at the public meeting. The meeting was held at the Centre which faces devastating cuts following proposals agreed in the Conservative-controlled County Council Budget. Other speakers included representatives from Unison and the Liberal Democrats. Bosworth’s Conservative MP was not present, sending apologies.

In the Budget backed by Leicestershire’s ruling Conservative group, it was agreed that around £140,000 be slashed from the Westfield’s Centre budget. Budget proposals were also backed by the Tories to sell off care homes including The Lime’s in Hinckley and Harvey House in Barwell.

Labour’s Rory Palmer is campaigning against these cuts and is backing other local campaigners including the Hinckley Pensioners Action Group and the Save our Services coalition. He has also called for a cross-party delegation to meet with the Leader of the County Council to discuss the impact of the cuts and to argue for their reversal.

Rory Palmer said: “These cuts will be devastating for the Westfield Centre. The Centre has a strong history of helping thousands of local people. At the public meeting I called for a cross-party delegation to meet with the Leader of the County Council to argue for the reversal of these cuts.”

“Cuts like this by a Tory County Council are a taster of what a Cameron Government would be like. The Leader of the County Council is reported to be advising the Conservative’s at a national level on their local government policy. It is crucial that everyone works together to oppose these cuts in Hinckley and across Leicestershire.”

A Leicestershire parliamentary candidate has signed up to a national charter to back the pub and beer industries. Labour’s Rory Palmer is backing the CAMRA’s Beer Drinkers and Pub Goers Charter which calls on MPs and parliamentary candidates to pledge their support for local pubs.

CAMRA’s charter calls on candidates to sign up to five key pledges:

1) Promote the interests of Britain’s pub goers;
2) Champion well-run community pubs;
3) Rebalance alcohol taxation to support beer and pubs;
4) Reform the beer tie to deliver a fair deal for consumers;
5) Support the role of well-run pubs as solutions to alcohol misuse.

Signing the Charter Rory Palmer said:

“Well run local pubs are a key part of community life, especially in Leicestershire’s villages. There are many welcoming pubs across the Bosworth constituency, each with its own unique character. There is also a fine tradition of ale brewing in Leicestershire. I am backing CAMRA’s charter and will always defend the finest traditions of our local pubs and brewing industry. If I am elected as Bosworth’s next MP I will immediately call a local pubs summit to discuss with publicans, breweries and others how to safeguard the future of our local pubs.”

“Locally, CAMRA are an excellent campaigning organisation. Last year’s CAMRA Hinckley Beer Festival was an excellent community event and I am looking forward to this year’s festival.”

Rory and his campaign team were out knocking on doors in Hinckley, just down the road from Warwick University where the Prime Minister launched Labour’s Fairness for All pledges.

Gordon Brown set out four key themes for the General Election campaign.

Labour will:

* Secure the recovery, not put it at risk;

* Protect frontline services, not cut them;

* Stand up for the many, not the few;

* Invest in new industries and future jobs.

And today saw Rory Palmer launch his latest campaign leaflet, ‘the choice for Bosworth’. In the leaflet Rory sets out his priorities for Bosworth and urges Liberal Democrat voters not to let David Cameron into Downing Street.

Rory Palmer said: “Speaking to voters on the doorstep today it is clear that people recognise that it was Gordon Brown’s decisions and action that has got us into economic recovery so quickly. Action to save the banks and keep the economy going was crucial. We must now build on this by securing the recovery and not putting it at risk which the Tories would do.

“It is also essential we protect frontline services like the NHS, education investment and Sure Start. Here in Leicestershire, the Conservative-controlled County Council tells us all we need to know about what a future Tory government would be like, with their proposals for sweeping cuts including their plans to sell off care homes.

“Labour is the party for the mainstream majority, for ordinary families and people who want to get on in life, who want a positive future for their children. Our plans are for the many and not the privileged few. Labour’s plans are about fairness for all.

“In Bosworth it is Labour with the best chance to beat the current Tory MP. Labour has come second here in the last four general elections, in 2005, 2001, 1997 and 1992. The Liberal Democrats have trailed behind in third place. Supporting the Liberal Democrats in Bosworth just makes it easier for the Tories to win here and to get into Downing Street. If you want to back a progressive party and the progressive candidate with the best chance of beating the Tories here, then back me as Labour’s candidate. I will be a strong voice for Bosworth.”

The Diabetes UK ‘Get Serious’ campaign calls on MPs and parliamentary candidates to make diabetes a priority in their constituencies. Labour’s candidate for Bosworth Rory Palmer is backing the campaign.

It is estimated that around 3,900 people in the Bosworth constituency have diabetes. It is one of the biggest health challenges facing the country today and it is projected that by 2025 over 4 million people will have diabetes.

Diabetes UK has set out a number of priorities for the next Parliament including earlier detection of diabetes; better support for children with diabetes; more support for people managing the condition through self-management; improved emergency care; improved care for older people with diabetes; and more investment in diabetes research.

Rory Palmer said: “With record investment in the NHS over recent years diabetes care has improved greatly. However, we should always be looking to do more and that’s why I am supporting Diabetes UK’s Get Serious campaign. Diabetes effects thousands of families in the area and projections show this will increase in future years. We need excellent health services to meet this need and to be providing the best possible care and support for people with diabetes.

“If I am elected at the general election I will be meeting with Diabetes UK to make sure local health trusts are providing the best possible services and to raise awareness of diabetes in the constituency.”

Despite a vote in the House of Commons and widespread cross-party support across the country for traditional election night counts officials at Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council appear to be sticking to their plan of starting the constituency’s election count on the morning after polling day.

Labour’s Parliamentary Candidate Rory Palmer said:

“I think all candidates and our campaign teams understand the importance of accurate counting and the need to comply with important requirements to ensure ballot security. However, there can be no denying that the drama and excitement of election night is a much valued British tradition.

“I am appealing for the local officials in Hinckley and Bosworth to reconsider and to plan a traditional election night count.”

Labour’s Rory Palmer has firsthand experience of the frustration of having to wait until the day after polls had closed for the count to begin and result to be declared:

“When I was elected as a councillor the count was done on the Friday, after voting had ended on the Thursday, whilst I was of course delighted to have won, the drama and excitement was not the same as a traditional election night.”

The House of Commons Transport Select Committee has recently completed an inquiry exploring priorities for rail investment and has recommended that full electrification of the Midland Mainline, which connects the East Midlands and Yorkshire with London, should be a major priority.

Labour’s Rory Palmer has campaigned in support of electrification of the Midland Mainline for a number of years and has welcomed today’s report.

Rory Palmer said: “It is a number of years since I first lobbied for the Midland Mainline to be fully electrified. The House of Commons Transport Committee has made a sensible recommendation. The Government needs to listen and bring forward plans for this investment which will be a great boost for the economy in Leicestershire and the East Midlands.”

“As the economy recovers we need to be ambitious in our plans for attracting new investment and jobs into the area and good transport links with London will be crucial to this.”

Rory Palmer met recently with Sandy Chamberlain who is organising a support group for kinship carers in the Hinckley area. Kinship carers provide care for family members, often children and young people, without the financial and practical support available to foster carers.

A petition has been set up on the Downing Street website calling for more support and Rory Palmer has given his backing to the petition campaign.

It is estimated that there are around 200,000 young people being cared for by family members, known as kinship carers.

Rory Palmer said: “It is essential more support is made available for kinship carers, which should be on a parity with the support available for foster carers. I want to see fairer financial support but also more practical support through local councils and other agencies.

“Kinship carers do an invaluable job, without them many young people would not have the chance to be brought up and cared for in a family home. After meeting Sandy Chamberlain in Hinckley I am convinced of the need for more support for kinship carers and that’s why I am backing the Downing Street petition.

“I am looking forward to working with Sandy and her colleagues to raise awareness of this campaign and get better recognition locally and nationally of the work kinship carers do.”

Local kinship carer and campaigner Sandy Chamberlain from Hinckley said:

“There are over 200,000 people like me in the country, we are called Kinship Carers, we do the same job as Foster Carers but because it is for a family member we do not get treated the same, in fact Kinship Carers are not even treated equally from County to County. I was so frustrated at not being able to talk to other people in my position that I set up Hinckley ROCKS, a support group specifically for Kinship Carers.”

“I am at present involved in raising the profile of Kinship Caring, nationwide. I am grateful to Rory for his support and for getting involved and helping me to raise awareness of our online petition and our plight in general, and for his support for Hinckley ROCKS.”

The Shout Out for a Sure Start campaign was launched this week and sets out a pledge to defend Sure Start and to recognise the difference it has made to thousands of children across the country. The campaign is backed by trade union Unison and charity 4children. Celebrities including former Mum of the Year Melinda Messenger and children’s TV character Peppa Pig are also supporting the campaign.

Labour’s Parliamentary Candidate for Bosworth signed the Shout Out for a Sure Start pledge this week and announced it on his twitter webpage.

The pledge states that:

I pledge to shout out for a sure start for children in my community by spreading the word about the great work of Children’s Centres.

After signing up his support for the campaign Rory Palmer said:

“I have seen firsthand the excellent work done at Sure Start Children’s Centres. The Sure Start approach has fundamentally changed how we see early years care and support for children and parents. I want to see many more generations of children benefit from Sure Start and that’s why I am pledging to defend Sure Start and to spread the word in the community about the truly excellent work done at our Children’s Centres.

“Sure Start has made a real difference to families across Hinckley and Bosworth and with a new Sure Start on the way in Bagworth we will see even more families benefiting. Labour is committed to Sure Start and we will deliver a Sure Start facility in every community.”