“IT’S for them,” says the man who hopes to be the next MP for Bishop Auckland when asked why he is standing as the Labour candidate.
Sam Rushworth is referring to his five children. His eldest is in sixth form, two are at secondary school and two are still in primary education.
“They have never known anything other than austerity Tory government and I want to build a better world for them,” he says.
If the political analysts are to be believed, Britain could be going to the polls in a general election in fewer than 100 days, although the Prime Minister last week hinted that he will hold out until later in the year before calling the election.
Whatever the timeframe, it is perhaps surprising that Mr Rushworth is the only confirmed candidate for Teedale’s constituency.
Sitting MP Dehenna Davison, one of the so-called Red Wall Tories who were voted in to previously safe Labour seats in 2019, announced in November 2022 that she would be standing down to pursue life outside politics.
Local Conservative activists are currently interviewing for a candidate.
By contrast, Mr Rushworth has been out knocking on doors since July 2022.
“I was involved in the party leadership locally and we were pushing the Labour Party to select a candidate early, although at the time I did not know it would be me doing it,” he says.
“We felt it was really important to reconnect with voters who understandably had lost confidence in Labour.”
He has been busying himself across the constituency during the past 18 months.
“We are not in power at the moment, but that does not mean you can’t make a difference picking up concerns, running campaigns and signposting people towards help,” he explains.
So, who is Sam Rushworth?
His father was a junior civil servant whose job took the family to Blackpool, where Sam grew up from the age of seven.
After school he went to Manchester University and studied development economics.
He began a career in international development, going on to a career specialising in conflict prevention and reconciliation in places affected by civil war, advising governments, charities, and the UN.
“My skills are in bringing people together to solve complex problems and build stronger communities,” he explained.
Mr Rushworth has also taught at further education and university level and currently works at Durham University in research and innovation.
In addition, he teaches in North East schools for the Brilliant Club, a national charity dedicated to helping talented and gifted disadvantaged children fulfil their potential.
With most of his wider family now in County Durham, Mr Rushworth, his wife Siobhain and children wanted somewhere to call home and they settled on Bishop Auckland.
“I wanted my kids to be able to say where they’re from,” is how he puts it.
A life-long Labour member, he said his first brush with politics came in the run up to the 1997 election.
“My parents were not politically active. Dad was a church lay minister and I remember helping him, and mum was a learning support tutor working with people with complex needs. I saw their values and care for people.
“The first election I remember is 1997. Someone knocked on the door asking mum to deliver leaflets. She said she was too busy. I ran downstairs and volunteered – I was about 12 at the time.”
Post 2019 he admits he had a “pretty hard time” with the party.
“I thought we went down the wrong lane and were out of touch with the working communities we are meant to serve.”
When push came to shove, he decided to stay and fight for change.
“I think Keir Starmer has changed the Labour Party.”
Whenever the election comes, Mr Rushworth is taking nothing for granted.
What happened in 2019, when Ms Davison was returned with a majority of 7,962, ousting the long serving Helen Goodman in the process “came as a shock to a lot of people”, he says.
“I hear it on the doors – how have we managed to get a Tory MP in our area?
“You cannot take voters for granted.
“Mid-Bedfordshire and closer to home Selby, places people always thought of as Conservative, show voters have realised they have the power to change things.
“Both parties have learnt they cannot rely on their heartlands any more. If voters think you are not working hard enough, people can kick you out.”
He adds: “I hope people will see we have rolled our sleeves up and got to work and we are genuinely listening.
“I am doing this because I genuinely love this community and want people to say after the election that voting Labour worked.”
