In the Spotlight: Labour

Today we shine the spotlight on a number of Labour candidates from the sector who are hoping to make their mark, including Hewlett Packard waste policy advisor Mark Dempsey, planning expert Deborah Sacks, and Rob Pocock of M.E.L Research…

Mark Dempsey – North Swindon

As Labour’s newly anointed candidate for North Swindon, Mark Dempsey will have to fight tooth and nail to unseat the Conservatives in this highly marginal constituency.

Luckily, the Hewlett Packard waste policy advisor has a long history of tackling environmental issues and promoting regeneration in Swindon that could sway voters to his cause.

Mr Dempsey started out as an environmental advisor at the University of Gloucestershire before stints as senior manager at the Parliamentary Sustainable Waste Group and as development officer at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. He joined HP in 2006.

As a local councillor for Swindon, the prospective MP has also helped secure a Youth Club and has spearheaded a community clean-up campaign.

Jobs

Speaking to letsrecycle.com, Mr Dempsey said he aims to ensure the Party’s ‘one million green jobs’ pledge is felt in his constituency.

“The campaign is going well. It’s an extremely close fight but we’re confident we’re campaigning for a better plan for a better Swindon,” he says. “Swindon could become a leader in green technologies, such as fuel cell technology. We want to make it become a low carbon pioneer and create new jobs there.”

Mr Dempsey will be up against Tory MP Justin Tomlinson – who scooped the North Swindon seat from Labour at the 2010 election. The waste industry will be keen to see which way the polls swing here next month.

Deborah Sacks – South Norfolk

With a lifetime in waste planning behind her, Deborah Sacks is another industry figure making the transition into politics.

Ms Sacks launched her own waste consultancy firm in 2010 after almost 20 years in various waste planning roles for local government.

Her experience has taken her from Camden and Haringey to the East of England Assembly. Since 2007, she has also sat on the Tasburgh parish council where she lives in South Norfolk.

Looking at waste in her own constituency, Ms Sacks says she believes Norfolk county council’s failure to secure the King’s Lynn energy from waste facility provided a “real lesson” in how not to deliver infrastructure.

MRF

Regardless of the waste disposal problems, she adds the area has a “really hi-tech” materials recycling facility and a good collection system – though she would like to see more kerbside separation of glass.

However, Ms Sacks could be hard pushed to unseat Conservative stalwart Richard Bacon – who has served as MP for South Norfolk since 2001.

Still, South Norfolk’s Tory influence could be waning. “A lot of people have been damaged by cuts to local government, and both counties and districts have taken really hard cuts”, Ms Sacks explains.

She adds: “Resource management features in my own leaflet and it helps that people around here like to do the right thing.”

Robert Pocock – Sutton Coldfield

For most voters this year, Sutton Coldfield will conjure images of an awkward Andrew Mitchell doing kick-ups to camera on Have I Got News for You.

But the West Midlands constituency is also home to M.E.L Research chief executive Robert Pocock, who this year will be standing against the Tory MP for the fourth time since both men entered the political arena in 2001.

M.E.L Research is known to the industry for its consultancy work, delivering and municipal waste monitoring and audits and field-testing of the Waste & Resources Action Programme’s food waste analysis protocol.

Mr Pocock feels strongly about the recycling and resource agenda, and says he is backing Birmingham city council’s plans to build more local composting schemes.

Reuse

Speaking to letsrecycle.com, the Labour hopeful also welcomed the council’s ‘Jericho scheme’ at Sutton Coldfield’s household waste & recycling centre (HWRC) – a centre to sell reusable or restored items.

But, Mr Pocock admits there needs to be a stronger emphasis on driving up recycling at a central government level.

“There needs to be a strong government agenda on resource and a lot of people are disheartened with the current administration. Labour could have put forward a stronger message on waste and recycling,” he says.

Mr Pocock adds that of the 10 constituencies in Birmingham, only Sutton Coldfield is a Conservative stronghold. In 2010, Mr Mitchell won the seat by a 17,000 majority.

Mr Mitchell has since become embroiled in the now infamous Plebgate scandal – which saw him resign as chief whip over an alleged altercation with a police officer. The MP has since returned to the cabinet as Secretary of State for International Development.

Next week the Labour candidate goes head to head with Mr Mitchell at an environmental hustings just two days before Birmingham goes to the ballot box. The odds may be against Mr Pocock, but could it be fourth time lucky for this election veteran?

All this week, letsrecycle.com will be on the campaign trail. Know someone from the waste industry running in the elections? Please email tom.g@letsrecycle.com with your suggestions.