Gareth Barrett to stand as Labour candidate for Brentwood & Ongar

Gareth Barrett has been selected as Labour’s candidate for the Brentwood and Ongar constituency to stand in this June’s general election.

Gareth is currently the Labour Group Leader in Brentwood. He became a Councillor for Brentwood South, taking a Conservative seat in 2014.

Gareth grew up in Brentwood, attending St Peters Primary School and Hedley Walter High School before studying Economics at the University of Essex.

Professionally, he works for a trade association and is completing a PhD in politics part-time at Birkbeck, University of London. He was a school governor at his former school for five years and is a former trustee of the National Union of Students.

Gareth Barrett comments:

“I am proud to be Labour’s candidate for June’s general election. Brentwood and Ongar is my home. It’s where I grew up and it’s where I chose to buy my first home.

“This Tory government has overseen the biggest cuts to our public services in a generation. The NHS and social care are in crisis, our schools are struggling under the weight of the budget cuts and cuts to police budgets are putting our safety at risk.

“People here in Brentwood and Ongar need a truly local representative who will put them first. I will work tirelessly between now and June to let local people know that this general election will be a choice between a Labour Party that will stand up for the people of Brentwood and Ongar, or a Conservative Party that only looks after the privileged few.

Richard Millwood, Chair of Brentwood & Ongar Labour Party, comments:

“I welcome the selection of Gareth Barrett as Labour’s Candidate for Brentwood & Ongar for June’s general election. As someone who lives in the constituency, I know that if elected on the 8th June, he will put this area first and will be a committed local MP – that’s what Brentwood and Ongar deserves. I look forward to supporting him as Labour’s candidate.”