Foyle General Election 2024: SDLP Colum Eastwood - ‘Derry deserves MP who will fight at Westminster ever day’

The views and opinions expressed in each are those of the candidate.

I am so proud to call Derry my home.

We’re the city of Hume and Heaney, we’ve given the world musicians, artists and authors. We’re the city of Civil Rights and Derry Girls. There is no place I’d rather be from and nowhere else I’d rather raise my daughters.

We are bringing people here from all over the world to experience the best of Derry and it’s all down to the hard graft of the people who live here - we know better than most that you have to turn up and fight for your fair share.

But with all we’ve achieved together, we also know there is much more to do. Inequality, compounded by politics which has seen the government collapse for five of the last seven years, is hurting people from every background.

Too many people who have worked hard all their lives are now being forced to take out Credit Union loans to pay for private healthcare because they can’t keep waiting for years in pain for treatment.

Vulnerable kids and adults suffering with poor mental health and addiction issues are being left with nowhere to turn.

Public sector workers have been forced out on strike for a fair wage and decent conditions while rents and mortgages are through the roof, heating bills are sky high and even the price of the weekly shop far too high for many to manage.

Is it any wonder so many of our young people are deciding to leave these shores in search of a better life?

This election is a chance to say it’s time to change all that.

The choice couldn’t be clearer.

On July 4 you’ll have the opportunity to send an MP to Westminster to fight for you, your family and our city. An MP who will challenge a new British Government to deliver more for people here and to raise our voice on the issues that matter - like the appalling genocide in Gaza. Or you can choose an abstentionist MP who won't turn up, won’t be counted and will leave Gregory Campbell as the only Derry voice heard at Westminster.

The challenges we face are stark but wont be fixed by sitting in the house. Derry’s voice must be heard.

I have been there when it mattered, calling out the British government’s perverse legacy legislation and fighting the corner of the Bloody Sunday families.

We secured €45m from the Irish Government for Magee University, another £45m for the Medical School, £20m from the British Government for regeneration in the town and £1m for the Northlands Addiction Centre.

My office has helped thousands in our city with everything from welfare issues to housing support, bringing over £20m into the local economy. And we did all that with a Tory government - I think we can do even more when they’re kicked out of power.

I was humbled by the support the people of Derry gave to me five years ago and I’ve tried to repay it by making sure that our voice has counted whenever and wherever it matters.

Derry deserves an MP who will fight for this city and our people in Westminster every day. Don’t let our voice be silenced.

On July 4, Vote Eastwood X.

*Editor's note: Please also note, in line with all newspapers, we accept political advertising provided it accords with the relevant laws.

We do not discriminate between political parties and they all have the same opportunity to advertise in our papers, subject to availability of space.

However, this newspaper and its editor support no political party and the content of these advertisements do not reflect our views and are not endorsed in any way by us.