2017 Election. Campaign Blog 10 May 2017.

[Original post from https://www.facebook.com/martinveartedin/]

My papers are in and, in the eyes of the law, I am now your Liberal Democrat candidate for Edinburgh North and Leith for the general election to be held on the 8th of June, 2017.

While campaigning over the past few years, and living in Edinburgh from 2008, I have come to know and appreciate this city and the people. Perhaps it is naïve of me, but we are often told that the public, us, demand a new type of politics. I’m ready for that. I’m listening.

I know that the constituency has many concerns. In West Pilton and Muirhouse, there simply isn’t enough of anything: shops, recreational facilities, doctors’ surgeries. In Leith we have some of the most tightly packed residential housing in Europe. In New Town, property prices are so high that the diversity of the area is under threat as the young are simply being priced out of the market. Everywhere, old housing stock is expensive to heat and our heritage status means that it is even more challenging to upgrade the energy efficiency of our housing stock. Around where I live at Western Harbour, I have had to call the police several times in the past year as I have witnessed attempted break-ins. 

Being part of this community means listening to everybody who lives and works here. So what I will do is keep this page open, even beyond the election. If there is an issue you want to bring to my attention, or if you want my view upon a particular topic, just get in contact. I won’t pretend to have the answers to everything. Some of you will disagree with some of my views. But I am here to help, as best I can and, if elected, I will seek to represent you