Labour Leader Sir Keir Starmer launches South West local elections campaign in Bristol

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer paid a visit to Bristol for the launch of his party’s South West local elections campaign.He went to South West Ambulance Service's operation centre in Filton to talk to NHS staff on Friday 12 March.

The leader spoke about working during the pandemic, before talking about the importance of voting in the upcoming elections.

He said: "It's very important in these elections that a message is sent to the Government.

"Across the South West there's 117,000 people working in the NHS who are going to have a pay cut as a result of the decision of the Government.

"They need a voice and this election is the chance to give them a voice.

"A Government that gives a pay rise to Dominic Cummings and a pay cut to the NHS frontline has got its priorities very, very wrong."

The Labour leader also pledged his support for the directly elected mayoral system – days before a major effort to scrap the one in Bristol.

Sir Keir said city mayors and metro mayors had played a crucial role during the pandemic and been “the voice for and stuck up for communities”.

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