Britain's had a Conservative government for 14 years.

Full statement

Throughout that time we've had a Conservative MP in Amber Valley. The country is now crying out for change and with your help, I'll be part of a Labour government which delivers it.



I'm Linsey Farnsworth, Labour's parliamentary candidate for Amber Valley. Amber Valley is my home and I live here with my husband and teenage children. I'm not a career politician, so for me, the opportunity to become the MP for Amber Valley is about serving my community and helping the people within it. That's why I became a Borough Councillor representing the people in my own ward: Kilburn, Denby, Holbrook and Horsley.



I was a Crown Prosecutor for 21 years until recently stepping back to concentrate on Amber Valley. I've watched the Conservatives govern as if it were a game, and I know many people in Amber Valley are feeling disillusioned with politics and politicians. I firmly believe we need to bring decency back into politics. In the Crown Prosecution Service I served with openness, honesty and fairness and treated everyone with respect. I've since been appointed as the Chair of Standards in Amber Valley Borough Council, in charge of ensuring Councillors stick to the code of conduct and step in if they don't.



I'm proud of my working class background. Growing up my dad was a coal miner and when the pits closed he was out of work. Money was tight and so I know how it is for people in Amber Valley, struggling under the cost-of-living crisis of this Conservative government's making. Under a Labour government my dad was able to retrain as a bricklayer and get our family back on its feet. As part of the next Labour government I'll work hard to support people through this cost-of-living crisis.



My mum died of cancer in 1989, diagnosed too late because our NHS was overburdened under a Conservative government. My step-mum is a nurse and my dad, who has dementia, was in hospital recently. I've witnessed first hand the strain our NHS is under again. In Amber Valley people are struggling to get appointments to see their GP or accessing an NHS dentist. As our MP I'll make it a priority to change this and to get our NHS back on its feet.



As a Crown Prosecutor I worked to bring criminals to justice and helped to give victims a voice in court. Most recently I worked internationally in British Embassies tackling serious criminals including people smugglers, fraudsters and drug gangs. With this background I'll focus on making us safer, whether that's nationally, working in government to take down the people smuggling gangs bringing vulnerable people into the country on small boats, or locally, working with our Police and Crime Commissioner Nicolle Ndiweni to put more police on the streets to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour in our town centres.



As a mother of teenage children I'm keen to be part of a Labour government which will prioritise their education, to make sure they all have a chance to fulfil their potential and that will tackle the climate crisis so that there is a future for them to look forward to.



If you elect me as our next MP you have my word that I'll be a strong voice in Parliament for Amber Valley, I'll serve with integrity and work hard every day for our community.