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Tory candidate hoping to smash Labour’s ‘red wall’ reveals how father’s tragic death inspired her into politics
A TORY candidate hoping to smash Labour’s ‘red wall’ has revealed how learning of her father’s tragic death got her into politics.
Dehenna Davison was just 13 year old when she learned her father Dominic had been killed by a single blow to the head in a pub.
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She’s now hoping to become the first ever Tory MP in Bishop Auckland, and says the awful experience inspired her to get into politics to help others.
In an exclusive interview with the Sun Online, the 26-year-old explained how the tragedy made her consider joining the police, only to be warned off it by her mum.
Now she's fighting for every vote for Boris Johnson to be re-elected as Prime Minister tomorrow.
She said: “It started a really long time ago, I was 13 years old and my dad was killed in a pub.
"It totally changed my life and my family's life.
“The sheer injustice we felt from that and the trial that followed made me feel like I had to do something so that other young kids didn't have to go through that same experience.
In this area, it’s no lie that people would never have voted Conservative, and Brexit has really changed that
Dehenna Davison
"It was tough, it was really tough.
"Then at age 16, totally by accident, I discovered politics and realised - this is the way that I can get involved, really help make those changes to make people’s lives better to really shape my community and shape my country.”
The seat in County Durham voted 60 per cent leave, which Ms Davison claimed left Labour at odds with their own constituents.
She said: “In this area, it’s no lie that people would never have voted Conservative, and Brexit has really changed that.
“What Brexit has done is shown people who are the ones on the side of democracy, who are the ones who really want to get this done to make the best of it, make our country and crack on with it, and it’s the Conservatives.
“Every day we are finding literally dozens of former Labour voters drifting over to us and the Conservatives."
A former mining community, the region is now incredibly run down with closed store fronts all over the high street.
Labour's Helen Goodman won the seat in 2005 with the Tories coming in third, but has seen her vote share go down at every election since.
Its schools are also struggling, with a Counden school losing £880 per pupil under the government, Labour claims, while Hamsterley Primary School has lost £2769.70 per pupil.
Twenty per cent of town centre business units are vacant, and the local A&E closed down last year.
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The real Dehenna
We asked eight crucial questions for the wannabe MP...
Swinson or Corbyn: Swinson
Cameron or Osborne: Cameron
Friends or Seinfeld: Friends
Corbyn majority but you win a seat or Boris majority and you don't: Boris
Toast or cereal: Toast
Pints or wine: Pints
BBC or Netflix: Netflix
The Sun or any other news source: I’m going to have to say the Sun!
Ms Davison has pledged to save the area, “break the red wall, then sweep up the north”. Bold promises from a bold candidate.
Her area is a key target for Boris to win tomorrow to get his majority to get Brexit delivered.
If he wins Bishop Auckland and other seats in the North of England, succeeding in turning them blue (some of them for the first time), Boris will be safely on the road back to No10.
However, Ms Davison isn't feeling the pressure, and insisted it's just a normal campaign for her.
And she stressed she's in with a "really good chance" of becoming one of Britain's youngest MPs too.
She added: “People say this is some kind of iconic campaign because it’s a traditional Labour seat but it still feels like just a campaign.
It’s endemic of how Labour have let this area down for so long that as Conservatives we’re in with a really good chance here
Dehenna Davison
"Really it’s endemic of how Labour have let this area down for so long that as Conservatives we’re in with a really good chance here.
“I am trying to sell this vision of change and prove to them I'm a really hard working grafting lass - and if you vote for me that’s what you get.”
The area is no stranger to top Tories either coming by to help her out in making history.
Boris had to cancel a planned visit due to security reasons, but his other half Carrie has been up there getting the vote out.
Carrie's dog Dilyn famously got on with Ms Davison's pup called Carter - and prompting plenty of sweet snaps for social media.
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Ms Davison also explained the campaign was personal to her, as she hoped to inspire other people with her background to get involved in politics.
She said: “I came from an area where people did not necessarily go onto greatness.
"And I’ve ended up in a position now, where a kid growing up in the wrong end of Sheffield is not supposed to end up in this position.
"I want every kid wherever they are from, whatever upbringing or hardships they've had to know.. they have got those opportunities to get on in life."
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