Labour announces election candidate to take on Theresa May in Maidenhead

A parish councillor and former Labour parliamentary candidate will go up against Theresa May again for the party in the snap general election.

Pat McDonald, from Woodlands Park, was announced as the Labour Party candidate for Maidenhead on Monday.

The former Furze Platt Senior School pupil, who describes himself as a true ‘Maidonian’ and an avid Maidenhead United fan, said he is looking forward to taking on the Prime Minister.

He said: “It’s going to be a manic six weeks, but I am looking forward to it. Not everyone gets the chance to take on the PM in a parliamentary election.”

His key polices include building more social housing for young people and abolishing university tuition fees.

Responding to the Royal Borough’s pledge to build 10,000 new homes as part of the Borough Local Plan, the 62-year-old said: “The council is building expensive homes that people can’t afford. Councils should be building old fashioned council housing.”

Mr McDonald, who last stood for the party in 2010, continued: “Student tuition fees are a disgrace. We’re the seventh richest country in the world, and we‘re charging students and making them run up massive debts, they should be abolished.”

Mr McDonald is the chairman of White Waltham Parish Council, and has been a parish councillor since 1994. He said his experience of politics at a grassroots level has given him expertise and knowledge in local government.

He said: “As a parish councillor I talk to people on a daily basis.

“If they want a true Maidonian to represent them in Parliament then I’m the only candidate.”