Kay Tart, the Labour parliamentary candidate for Hitchin and Harpenden, has explained in her own words why you should vote for her in the 2019 General Election.

Kay, speaking ahead of the General Election on December 12, said: "I'm district councillor at North Herts District Council where I am the deputy portfolio holder for environment & leisure.

"I'm local. I was born and raised in Hitchin and am now raising my own family there. The issues that matter to local residents matter to me, and I feel very strongly that our country needs real change - that's why I became involved in politics.

"I've been campaigning for over a year for proper education funding, but we also need truly affordable housing, a transport system that works, a fully funded health and social care service and to take proper positive action on climate change, both locally and nationally. These are all things that I'm passionate about and that Labour in government can deliver.

"I understand that climate change is the most pressing threat to our way of life. That's why, as a councillor, I voted to declare a climate emergency. Labour will kick start a green industrial revolution. We will insulate millions of homes, and transition our electricity and most heat generation to low-carbon methods by 2030 creating hundreds of thousands of high-quality jobs in the process. I will fight to ensure that those jobs come to our area.

"An effective rail system is an essential part of tackling climate change, as well as being an essential public service that we rely on in our day to day lives. Labour will integrate our railways, taking franchises back under public control as they expire and we'll make the industry accountable to ordinary commuters. We'll get ticket prices under control, end inflation-busting fare rises and cap ticket prices.

"I believe that local people have grown tired of being represented by an MP who has no understanding of what it's like to live in the real world and who takes their votes for granted. It's time for change, it's time to rebuild our public services and it's time to bring our communities together.

"People here in Hitchin and Harpenden need an MP that will put them first and a voice in Parliament that truly represents them. I will be that voice."