The news of Douglas Carswell’s defection to the United Kingdom Independence party today comes as little surprise to those of us who have been within his sphere of politics for the past few years.

But more than just defecting, Carswell has resigned and caused a by-election. This election is a great opportunity for Labour to flex its muscles in a seat which we held until as recently as 2005. In that election, Labour’s member of parliament for Clacton Ivan Henderson was beaten by Carswell by a mere 900-odd votes.

Selected earlier this year to fight the next general election for Labour in Clacton is my Colchester Labour comrade and our council group leader, Tim Young. I have known Tim my entire political life – from those campaigns with Ivan Henderson in 2001 and 2005, though to my own election campaign in Colchester in 2010.

Tim really is the local voice with national experience. He has a wealth of experience as a community leader, local councillor and parliamentary candidate and I have witnessed his remarkable ability to represent himself, his community and our party over the great many years that we have worked together.

A Clacton boy himself, Tim is astutely in tune with the constituency. Passionate, committed and determined, he has the capacity, intellect and values base to be a superb Labour MP for the people of Clacton, Walton, Frinton and the coastal stretch that makes up this very unique part of Essex. It has its strengths and its weakness, with issues and challenges that make it a full-time job for any diligent constituency MP.

I’ve campaigned with Tim on the doorsteps of Colchester for the past eight years and I look forward to joining him on the doorsteps of Clacton in the upcoming by-election. His ability to lead and motivate a team and communicate and relate to the public will be assets in the coming weeks. With Clacton at his core, unlike Carswell, Tim does not seek the national media spotlight or spend his time in London writing books and articles. He cares about the community in which he grew up. And not only does Tim have all the qualities to be a great a MP, but I have also witnessed his human side. He has great compassion and a sense of justice, but moreover a fantantic sense of humour. His contributions on stage for Stand Up for Labour will have prepared him well for PMQs.

Ukip does pose a threat in Essex. We saw that in May’s local elections. But, however tempting it may be for us to park our tanks on Ukip’s lawns during this by-election campaign, we must do more to drag them into the mainstream policy debates. So that the people of Clacton – and Britain as a whole – can see the real Ukip. A Ukip that wants to abolish paid holidays and sick pay, introduce a pernicious flat tax and privatise our NHS.

Our part of Essex doesn’t get much media attention, let alone the attention of national politicians. But for Labour colleagues eager to jump aboard the Clacton campaign bus, from today The Only Way is Essex.

———————————

Jordan Newell is Labour’s parliamentary candidate for Colchester and chair of Colchester Labour party

———————————

Photo: Steve Punter