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Blair Babe Claire wows Brighton conference

Michelle McKenna
29/ 9/2005

HYNDBURN councillor Claire Hamilton took centre stage at the annual Labour Party Conference in Brighton this week.

Councillor Hamilton, who represents Rishton, gave a three-minute speech slamming the axing of the borough's community wardens.

The 21-year-old, who is the youngest councillor in the country, took to the podium and slammed Hyndburn Council's Tory leaders for "sacking" the wardens, calling for the conference to support her policy document.

She described it as "one of the worst-run Tory councils in the country" and described the Conservatives as "selfish" and "self-serving".

During the course of the speech, she said Hyndburn had benefited from "record" Government funding, much of which was used to finance "one of the most successful and most accredited community warden schemes in the country."

She added: "Fighting to save community wardens was one of the major reasons why people in Rishton voted for me and voted for Labour in what used to be a safe Tory seat."

Councillor Hamilton said the wardens had been doing a great job, adding: "The most savage and unpopular Tory cut has been sacking them."

This is the first major conference that Councillor Hamilton, who lives in Clayton-le-Moors has attended.

She travelled down to the event with fellow Hyndburn councillor Graham Jones and Preston councillor Jack Davenport.

She said: "I was nervous waiting to go up and give the speech but when I got up there I really enjoyed doing it.

"And I have had a good response."

During the course of the three-day event, Councillor Hamilton met Prime Mini-ster Tony Blair, Chancellor Gordon Brown, Deputy Premier John Prescott, Peter Mandelson and Hazel Blears.