SHADOW Home Office minister Angela Smith visited Colchester to support the town’s Labour parliamentary candidate.

Baroness Smith joined Jordan Newell for a tour of drugs and alcohol support charity Open Road, in North Hill.

Sarah Wright, the charity’s chief executive, said: “Baroness Smith was really supportive of the projects and services we provide, particularly our new Essex Appropriate Adults service which supports young people and vulnerable adults in police custody”.

The Labour pair also joined Tim Young, Labour’s parliamentary candidate in Clacton, and prospective borough councillor in Colchester’s St Andrews Ward, at Greenstead Community Centre.

Mr Newell said: “We met some fantastic staff and volunteers committed to changing and improving people’s lives. It was great to be able to show Angela the kind of work that’s going on in Colchester.

“She thought it was fantastic. ”

Baroness Smith lost her Basildon seat in the 2010 general election and was made a life peer that year.

  • Mr Newell is standing against Sir Bob Russell (Lib Dem), Mark Goacher (Green), Will Quince (Con), Ken Scrimshaw (Christian People’s Alliance) and John Pitts (Ukip). Click here to read more about all the candidates.
  • Mr Young is standing against Chris Hill (Con), Joshua Murray (Green) and Verity Woolley (Lib Dem) in the borough election, and Douglas Carswell (Ukip), David Grace (Lib Dem), Giles Watling (Con) and Chris Southall (Green) in Clacton.