Chesham and Amersham by-election: Meet the Labour candidate

A by-election will happen on June 17 following the tragic passing of Dame Cheryl Gillan, who represented the constituency from 1992 until her death on April 4.

Slough councillor Natasa Pantelic, who is cabinet member for social care and public health, is the Labour candidate for the upcoming by-election and spoke to the Local Democracy Reporting Service on the issues she will focus on if elected.

One of the big issues facing Chesham and Amersham is HS2, which Dame Gillan was vehemently opposed to.

Dame Cheryl Gillan who sadly passed away on April 4

On this, Cllr Pantelic gave her views on this hot topic, saying: “There’s a lot of distress from people who are affected by the development – but we’ve got to now look at the future and be realistic as the Conservative government is not going to stop that development.

“So, it’s about the best deal we can get for the constituency whether it’s more environmental mitigation and looking at how we can recreate some of the habitats that are being lost to what is the money that we can draw into the constituency to really invest in the local area.”

Before Dame Gillan’s death, she worked to get the Chilterns, which is an area of outstanding natural beauty, designated as a National Park in order to give it extra protection from development.

READ MORE: The FULL list of candidates standing in the Chesham and Amersham by-election after MP's death

Cllr Pantelic noted it’s a massive concern for residents and will work for the ‘best deal’ for the Chilterns and for investment in the area there.

“My aim is to work with the government and other organisations to look at how we can continue making the Chilterns a really good, green area for local people,” she explained.

Cllr Pantelic said she will get "the best deal" for the Chilterns

Other issues the Labour candidate is hoping to tackle include improving public transport links, fixing the road infrastructure such as the potholes, bringing further job opportunities and training into the constituency for young people, and attracting investment into the High Streets and businesses in a post-pandemic world.

Last week, Dr Philip Lee, a former Conservative minister turned Liberal Democrat, urged Labour and the Green Party to not stand at the by-election ‘so Tories will lose’.

In response, Cllr Pantelic said she did not ‘support’ any party alliance as Labour will offer residents “a difference in choice” and a set of “values, vision, and policies that are different from the other political parties”.

National Labour was dealt with a devastating blow after losing the by-election in Hartlepool to the Conservatives for the first time since the constituency’s creation and has been struggling to win back voters.

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Despite Chesham and Amersham predominately voting Conservative, the Labour candidate believes the party “has a chance” with the policies she is “championing” and offering to electorates.

Natasa, who was a former primary school teacher and education network leader, has been on the Slough cabinet for 12 years and has been a Labour member for 14 years.

She revealed she will resign from her Slough council position, so she can permanently move into the constituency and focus ‘all of her efforts’ to be a full-time member of parliament, if elected.

Throughout the campaign, Cllr Pantelic will be facing Tory candidate Peter Fleet, Sarah Green for the Liberal Democrats, Green Party’s Carolyne Culver, and other candidates to be MP for Chesham and Amersham.