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Ex-daily journalist launches MP bid to take on ‘Westminster elite’

Samantha LeeA former regional daily journalist has revealed plans to stand as an MP to take on the “Westminster elite”.

Samantha Lee, who was chief football writer at the Hartlepool Mail for five years, has announced her intention to stand as an Independent in the town’s forthcoming by-election, triggered by the resignation of Labour MP Mike Hill.

Samantha, pictured, worked for the Mail between 2000 and 2005 before launching her own PR firm, Publicity Seekers.

She was also the first female football writer to work on the Daily Mirror, prior to her time at the Mail.

In a social media post, Samantha said: “It’s about time someone with honesty, intelligence and compassion was in there fighting for us.

“So, hopefully with your backing, I am going to give it a crack.

“The systems in place don’t serve us and never have. During this pandemic, once again, the rich got richer. They’ve given billions of our money to their mates and, quite frankly, I’m not having it.

“I’m not waiting around for them to tell us the money’s run out and we are going to have more cuts for the next 10 years.”

She added: “We have an under-used port, a potential goldmine in the Marina, incredible beaches in need of facilities, fantastic colleges and schools, access to Dogger Bank, a neglected hospital that should be serving us and countless other things going for us.

“As this is possibly the only seat in the UK for the next two years, the career politicians who missed the boat at the 2019 General Election are going to see Hartlepool as their ticket into Westminster, I expect the circus to arrive in town any day now.

“They will all be our best mates for the next six weeks while they secure our votes and then they’ll get on the Grand Central and not look back.”