Cabinet minister Sajid Javid joins Ben Gummer on campaign visit
Conservative candidate Ben Gummer and Secretary of State for Culture Sajid Javid tour St Peter's Street in Ipswich, speaking with shop owner Cathy Frost.
Culture secretary Sajid Javid became the latest big-name politician to visit the marginal plum seat of Ipswich when he came to town to boost Ben Gummer’s re-election campaign.
Mr Javid joined the Conservative hopeful in St Peter’s Street where he visited small businesses who have helped bring new life to one of the most historic areas of the town.
It was his second visit to Ipswich in little over a month – earlier this year he visited arts organisations at the Jerwood Dancehouse a short distance away on the Waterfront.
Mr Javid said visits like this were vital so politicians could speak to people on the front line and find out what they needed from the government to make life easier.
He heard from shopowners like Cathy Frost at LoveOne who told him about the importance of business rate relief for small enterprises such as hers.
Mr Javid said: “It is hugely important to get out of London and listen to people who are working hard to make a good life for themselves and run a successful business like these here.
“As Culture Secretary I was here meeting organisations at the Waterfront a few weeks ago, but it is also important to meet businesses like this who bring an important element to the business culture of the town.”
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Mr Gummer said he felt it was vital to bring senior politicians to meet people in towns like Ipswich – especially during election campaigns.
He said: “The businesses here have brought the area up by their own hard work and developed this area as an attractive area for local people and visitors to come and use the specialist shops.
“Bringing people like Sajid here, to areas outside London which are working hard to improve themselves, is very important
because it gives the owners the chance to tell them what is needed to make their lives better.”
The election campaign in Ipswich has now seen high-profile visitors on the first two days since Parliament was formally dissolved as both the Conservatives and Labour battle over the seat where Mr Gummer had a majority of 2,079 in 2010.
