Senior MP visits Dewsbury college

Rachel Reeves and Paula Sherriff visited Kirklees College's Dewsbury site. (jc_050215_college05)

A senior politician in the shadow cabinet visited students in Dewsbury to encourage them to cast their votes and take part in democracy.

Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Rachel Reeves (Lab, Leeds West) visited the Dewsbury centre of Kirklees College and talked politics to some of the area’s young and first-time voters.

She explained the thinking behind the Labour Party’s policy to lower the voting age to 16.

“Everyone who was affected by the rise in tuition fees did not have a vote,” she said.

She criticised Conservative councillors in Kirklees who attacked the Labour-run councillor for its spending cuts.

“They need to think about which way their own MPs voted. The responsibility for the cuts lies firmly at the door of the prime minister,” she said.

Councillors from different parties have locked horns over who is at fault for the council’s proposed spending cuts for the next three years.

Ms Reeves visited the college with Labour’s prospective parliamentary candidate for Dewsbury and Mirfield, Paula Sherriff.