Labour urges city to 'reject divisive politics'
BBCThe Labour Party has launched its campaign ahead of the local election in Hull next month, with a promise to represent working-class people.
A number of local party figures met by the city's Wilberforce Memorial to kick-start the campaign, including Daren Hale, leader of Hull Labour group, and Emma Hardy, MP for Hull West and Haltemprice.
Hardy urged the people of Hull to "reject divisive politics" and said the party represented "politics where we bring people together rather than push people apart".
A third of the city council's 57 seats, of which the majority is controlled by the Liberal Democrats, will be contested when voters head to the polls on 7 May.
Nineteen of the city's 57 wards will be up for grabs.
Hull has been controlled by the Liberal Democrats since 2022 following more than a decade of Labour rule but only have a majority of one on the city council.
Daren Hale, leader of Hull Labour group and councillor for St Andrews and Docklands ward, said he was confident Labour could return to power.
"I think people realise that Labour stands for local government in this city.
"Most of the major projects you've seen, projects you've seen in the last few years were delivered by the Labour council, even the ones that have come to fruition now were started by the Labour Party."
The campaign launch was also attended by Labour's Mayor of Doncaster, Ros Jones, and Work and Pensions Minister Dame Diana Johnson, who is also MP for Hull North.
Hardy told the BBC the Labour Party had increased working rights for people in the city and claimed they had achieved the "biggest ever" decrease in child poverty by any government.
"We're introducing free breakfast clubs, we're putting working people first, and we're doing everything we can to balance the books back in their favour," she said.
Hardy said she had always stood for the belief that people are better off when they are united.
"It's also about unity", she explained: "It's about having the politics where we bring people together rather than push people apart.
"So, I call on the people of Hull to reject the divisive politics, reject those easy slogans."
All wards in Hull, except Ings and Kingswood, will elect a local councillor on 7 May.
The Hull City Council website will have a full list of candidates when nominations close.
Listen to highlights fromHull and East Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North.
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