General Election 2019: What are candidates promising?
With days to go before the country goes to the polls, candidates for the South Holland and the Deepings seat are
answering your questions.
The latest question comes from Alan Meekings, who asks: “If elected, what are you promising to do for the people of South Holland & The Deepings that successive Conservative and Labour governments have previously failed to do.”
Martin Blake (Green)
“Not all our problems can be laid at the door of central government. The first-past-the-post voting system has ensured that local authorities in our area have historically been dominated by councillors from one party, sometimes resulting in a degree of complacency and unaccountability.
“We need to find ways for local people outside the political mainstream to have more of an input into debate and decision-making, particularly on major planning issues like the Spalding Western Relief Road. As MP I would hold regular forums in communities around the constituency.
“I would challenge those responsible for local services to explain how they are responding to our needs, and to the urgent threat of climate change.”
Sir John Hayes (Conservative)
“For 22 years I have championed the interests of local people, taking up over 25,000 cases on behalf of constituents, during which time I’ve been amongst the most active MPs in Parliament.
“Having worked to bring the new Johnson Hospital to Spalding, I now want more services provided there; having championed apprenticeships locally and nationally, I now want more people in Lincolnshire to earn whilst they learn as an apprentice; having fought for the new A16 road to Peterborough - which replaced the hazardous A1073 - I now want improvements to junctions there and to other roads across South Holland and the Deepings. So, I am delighted by the Conservative commitment to spend £2billion on highways throughout the country, including here in Lincolnshire.
“Together, we have achieved a great deal, but I know there’s still more to do. “
Davina Kirby (Lib Dem)
For too many people in this constituency, things are not working as they should. The Liberal Democrat have a plan to change this. We will stop Brexit because we believe this will enable our economy to continue to thrive. Some of our key initiatives are:-
“To stop climate change by generating 80 per cent of our electricity from renewables by 2030, enhancing the powers and funding of the Environmental Agency.
“Providing additional funding for the NHS to reverse the loss of GPs and hospital staff, and longer waiting times. We will invest £7billion a year extra and give parity to mental health care together with reforming social care.
“Clearing the backlog of repairs to schools and college buildings, raise the starting salary for teachers to £30,000, invest nationally £7billion a year, recruit 20,000 more teachers and provide a personal budget of £10,000 for retraining or further education to all adults.”
Mark Popple (Labour)
“If I were elected, I would be part of a Labour government that seeks to be very different from many of those in the past, Labour or Conservative.
“In the spirit of the Labour government that created the NHS in the aftermath of the Second World War, we will be bold and ambitious. I will ensure that our area is not rode roughshod over any longer, that we get the funding we need from central government, and support the creation of more local events that celebrate this area’s history and culture to restore pride to South Holland and The Deepings. “
Rick Stringer (Ind)
“Whether I am elected or not in the New Year I will be starting a service where each of us will pay in four pounds a month ( to be collected and given to local worthy causes when it reaches a useful amount) and commit to four hours’ voluntary service a month. Please contact me in January if you are interested in joining me.”
Reader John Charlesworth asks: “While it’s all very well reading party manifestos, what I’d really like to know is what each candidate is promising to do to create a fairer, more equitable, more environmentally sustainable society in South Holland & The Deepings.”
Martin Blake (Green)
Nearly a decade of austerity has brought many of our public services to breaking point. Many people feel that our part of the country is disadvantaged in terms of the distribution of funding, but I think we’re entitled to ask why, in an area dominated by Conservative councillors and MPs, they have achieved so little in challenging this with their political masters.
“The Green Party will put an additional £6billion per year into the NHS to bring health spending up to northern European averages, and £4billion per year into schools. We will ensure local authorities build 100,000 new council homes per year, and put an extra £4.5billion per year into providing free social care for over-65s who need support to stay in their own home.”
Sir John Hayes (Conservative)
Conservatives plan the greatest investment in infrastructure and public services in a generation.
Having fought for improved NHS provision, including Spalding’s Johnson Hospital, I welcome Boris Johnson’s pledge to spend £13bn on 40 new hospitals.
Similarly, during hundreds of constituency surgeries held across South Holland and the Deepings, I’ve learned how harrowing the menace of anti-social behaviour can be. Twenty thousand new police officers will bolster the rule of law, ensuring that victim’s plight comes before the so called ‘rights’ of criminals. Visiting schools throughout our area, I know that the additional £7.1bn we will spend on education is good for all our futures.
In rural communities, public transport is vital, so I’m sure the Prime Minister’s commitment to invest £30million to upgrade bus routes will be welcomed and the announcement of £500,000 to regenerate Spalding and Holbeach is great news.
Davina Kirby (Lib Dem)
“Part of the problem is that South Holland and the Deepings is seen as a Conservative safe seat. Conservative governments don’t see the need to invest to win votes and Labour governments don’t see any benefit to investing in Lincolnshire. Constituents receive £2,000 less per head from central government than those in London. Austerity has impacted on all public services, for example locally police numbers have been severely reduced and courts closed.
“Liberal Democrats have designated funds to reinvest in; community policing, the criminal justice system, education, the NHS, social care, road, bus, and train integrated services. We will ensure superfast broadband is available to all.
“We will decentralise decision-making and replace Business Rates in England. This also includes a £500 million community fund to alleviate regional disparities. We will set up a Citizens Climate Assembly improving public engagement with local climate issues and making recommendations to government.”
Mark Popple (Lab)
“The Labour manifesto makes a clear pledge that a Labour government would restore council spending powers to their 2010 levels. If I am elected, I make a solemn vow to fight tooth and nail to ensure that that happens, whatever government is elected. We will also not achieve the promise of a fair and sustainable economy if we repeat the mistakes of the carbon era. We therefore need put people and planet before profit by bringing our energy, water systems, mail, broadband and rail back into democratic public ownership. This will allow us to focus on providing better, cleaner and cheaper services that people can rely on.”
Rick Stringer (Independent)
Sir, as you can see from my previous replies I have already partly answered your question. We can sit on our backsides watching the omnibus edition of EastEnders, Coronation Street etc or we can get out there in the community and do our bit! Join me!”
