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Voices from the Crewe and Nantwich by-election

Posted: Friday, May 16, 2008, 22:48 (BST)
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Labour is fighting to retain the constituency of Crewe and Nantwich following the death of its former MP Gwyneth Dunwoody.

Here are quotes from candidates and voters in the constituency.

"Can somebody who lives in a 1.5 million pound mansion realistically empathise with the electorate of Crewe and Nantwich, with people who are living in properties that may be worth on average 184,000 pounds? Is this a person who will realistically understand what is the price of half a dozen tomatoes?" - Labour candidate Tamsin Dunwoody, talking about Conservative rival Edward Timpson

"It's desperate tactics, we've not resorted to anything approaching that, we've had a very positive campaign and we are going to continue to do so." - Timpson, on Labour claims he is a "toff"

"Gwyneth Dunwoody had a huge personal vote. But the vote was not for the Labour party and I think we will see that in the results next week." - Elizabeth Shenton, Liberal Democrat candidate

"The amount of literature coming through my front door is quite ridiculous. My mother in the last week has had 16 or 17 different pieces," Conservative voter Richard Briggs, 27, on the intensity of the campaign.

"I've always been a Labour voter but I'm persuaded the other way now it's the general lack of discipline in society, basic petty crime, unruly kids because of the way things have gone under the government you can't say nothing, you can't touch nobody, you get no back-up." - 38-year-old train driver, who asked not to be named, planning to vote Conservative.

"Nothing ever got done under Tony Blair or Gordon Brown about trouble on the streets. In the area that I'm living there's always gangs of yobs hanging about drinking bottles of cider." - Army trainee, Chris McGrane, 18, considering voting Liberal Democrat.

"It doesn't appear that any of the candidates are interested in local issues. It just feels that there is a circus in town and people are just here for the media's focus." - Civil servant David Platt, 32, undecided on how to vote.

"You'll never build another locomotive in Crewe again - that's because of Tory policy. Gordon Brown's done a lot of things wrong, but my motto in life is I would never, ever, trust a Tory. I can remember the Thatcher years, and these young people that are going to vote will not remember that, and that's why Tamsin Dunwoody's on a loser here." - Retired railway fitter Michael Morris, 66, voting Labour.



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