The hostility for politics in this country has reached a fever pitch. Compassion seems to be edging out of the political arena replaced by a politics of fear, anger, and divisions and a narrative of point-scoring taking precedent over debate and cooperation.

Luke has signed up for the Jo Cox Foundation and CSP candidate election pledge. The Jo Cox Foundation was established in 2016 by the friends and family of the late Jo Cox MP. Their vision is for a kinder, more compassionate society where every individual has a sense of belonging.

By signing the pledge, Luke has made three commitments:

1. Set an appropriate tone when campaigning
2. Lead by example to foster constructive democratic debate
3. Promote and defend the dignity of others, including my opponents

Luke Pollard seeking re-election as MP for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport said:

“Politics is a mess right now. Ever since being elected, I said I wanted to do politics differently. That means being more open, transparent, and accessible. I’m the first-ever Plymouth MP to have an office in the city centre so people can walk up and see my team and me to get the help they require.

 

Unfortunately, that office where my fantastic team of caseworkers help the people of Plymouth has been a target for vandals. There is no place for homophobia, no place for hate, no place for bigotry in our city. We can either dial up the language; we can use militaristic and aggressive rhetoric, or we can make a stand against this. It’s not my style to throw abuse. I think the way we get through this as a country is building bridges, not walls.

 

The outpouring of support we received was fantastic and shows that the vast majority of people will not tolerate hate of any kind. Hate will prosper when we allow it, too, so let’s not allow it too.”

To see more of the fantastic work of the Jo Cox Foundation, click here.