News reporter Simeon Lee reports on the candidates standing in seats that Nottingham students reside in.
If you are registered to vote in Nottingham but are unsure of which constituency you live in, simply visit this website and enter your Nottingham postcode: https://members.parliament.uk/constituencies/.
Broxtowe
Anna Soubry, The Independent Group for Change
Ms Soubry has served as the MP for Broxtowe since 2010. Up until earlier this year, she was a member of the Conservative Party. She is a founding member of the People’s Vote campaign and wants to remain in the European Union. She is pro-HS2 and believes in long-term policies, such as going carbon neutral by 2045 (five years ahead of the current targets, though Labour say they can do it by 2030).
Darren Henry, Conservative Party
The Brexit Party stood aside and the former candidate now supports Mr Henry. Mr Henry’s top priority is to pass Boris Johnson’s deal and supports increasing the number of apprenticeships for young people. Mr Henry previously worked in the RAF, NHS as a manager, and in various private companies.
Greg Marshall, Labour Party
Mr Marshall describes himself as “From Broxtowe, For Broxtowe” and is strongly anti-austerity, instead he supports borrowing and higher taxation on higher earners in order to fund more investment and nationalisation. He supports the Labour Party position on Brexit, which is to negotiate a new deal with the EU and hold a referendum on this deal in six months. Mr Marshall was previously a counsellor in Beeston and once worked in the environmental agency.
Kat Boettge, Green Party
Ms Boettge considers herself European and is a passionate Remainer, advocating for a second referendum. As a psychotherapist, she wants to see an end to NHS privatisation and improvement of health services. Her top priorities, as outlined in a leaflet, are implementing proportional representation, taking action on climate change and achieving social justice in the wake of austerity.
Teck Khong, Independent
Mr Khong is an independent candidate who joined the ballot paper after the Brexit Party decided to stand down. He rejects Boris Johnson’s deal and wants the UK out of the EU with no strings attached.
David Bishop, Militant Elvis Anti-HS2
Alongside a parody ballot paper, which asks voters if they want to leave, remain or “pretend to leave but stay in” the EU, there are some actual policies in Mr Bishop’s ‘Broxtowe Manifesto’ such as restoring a public toilet which was closed in Beeston and, as clear from the party’s name, scrap HS2 in favour of improving existing services.
Amy Beth Dalla Mura, English Democrats – Putting England First
Ms Dalla Mura was banned from campaigning after being found guilty of harassing fellow candidate Anna Soubry.
Gedling
Vernon Coaker, Labour Party
Mr Coaker has been MP for Gedling since 1997. He is anti-austerity and says he wants to “stand up for young people in education and jobs”. He supports a second referendum with remain as an option.
Tom Randall, Conservative Party
Mr Randall, who read law at Oxford, wants to pass Boris Johnson’s deal; increase the number of local police officers and provide them with “powers to keep local streets safe”; and improve education by guaranteeing minimum funding.
Graham Hunt, Brexit Party
The Brexit Party policy is to leave the EU without a deal. Beyond Brexit, Mr Hunt said he would campaign to scrap HS2, cut student loan interest and promote small business opportunities in the Gedling area. He previously worked in a local energy utility business in a manager.
Anita Prabhakar, Liberal Democrat
Ms Prabhakar cares about women’s issues and representation, as well as improving policy for arriving immigrants to minimise what she describes as “hardships”. The Liberal Democrats are a pro-EU party and want to stop Brexit. She is a qualified solicitor, specialising in constitutional and corporate law.
Jim Norris, Green Party
Mr Norris wants to be a credible environmentalist candidate for voters as he believes no other party has the policies for dealing with every aspect of climate change. He is anti-austerity and pro-remain.
Nottingham East
Christopher Leslie, The Independent Group for Change
Mr Leslie has been MP for Nottingham East since 2010. He was also MP for Shipley, West Yorkshire from 1997-2005. He left the Labour Party earlier this year. He is pro-EU and supports a second referendum on Brexit. He wants a well-regulated mixed economy and centre-left policies.
Nadia Whittome, Labour Party
Ms Whittome is a former UoN student. She wants a ‘radical Labour government’ that will shift wealth and power in the country. To do this, she wants to increase common ownership, tax the rich to fund public services and engage in large public investment. She describes Brexit as a “threat to jobs and livelihoods”.
Victoria Stapleton, Conservative Party
Ms Stapleton supports Boris Johnson’s deal and welcomes the Conservative policies of more policemen and NHS investment. She previously owned her own small business.
Robert Swift, Liberal Democrats
Mr Swift says the country doesn’t need “Johnson’s Brexit or Corbyn’s socialist ideal”. He wants more good jobs, safer streets and secure, affordable homes. He wants to stop Brexit and to take immediate climate action. Mr Swift was born in Sherwood and now runs a small business in Nottingham.
Damian Smith, Brexit Party
Mr Smith wants to “reject the multinationals and focus on local communities and local business”. He wants to lower homelessness and “cut the cost of living, slash business rates, end Universal Credit, end Tory Austerity, improve working tax credits and promote welfare for those who need it most.”
Michelle Vacciana, Green Party
Ms Vacciana wants schools to have the resources to adopt green values in how their buildings function, wants more communal spaces such as youth centres, and wants greater social equality. The Green Party’s position is pro-EU, with a second referendum. Ms Vacciana works in secondary education.
Nottingham North
Alex Norris, Labour Party
Mr Norris was first elected in 2017. He supports Labour’s position on Brexit, which is to negotiate a new deal and have a referendum with the option to remain within six months. He is anti-austerity.
Stuart Bestwick, Conservative Party
Mr Bestwick campaigned for Brexit and supports Boris Johnson’s deal. He wants to increase funding to local schools and boost police numbers. He also seeks to increase the number of GPs.
Julian Carter, Brexit Party
Mr Carter says he is saddened by the loss of manufacturing jobs and is passionate about diverse communities. He previously worked in the UK New Nuclear Build programme and in Rolls-Royce. Brexit Party policy is to leave the EU without a deal.
Christina Morgan-Danvers, Liberal Democrats
Ms Morgan-Danvers has campaigned for a People’s Vote. She believes that “no one voted to be poorer”. She works for a non-profit energy company.
Andrew Jones, Green Party
Mr Jones says this is one of the few remaining elections where it will be possible to put climate change on the agenda. He led a campaign which stopped the building of a dual-carriageway ring road around parts of greater Nottingham.
Nottingham South
Lilian Greenwood, Labour Party
Ms Greenwood was first elected to the seat in 2010. She says austerity cuts has hurt Nottingham and, specifically, schools. She wants free prescriptions and personal care; a national education service; climate action; and a final say on Brexit, with the option to remain.
Marc Nykolyszyn, Conservative Party
Mr Nykolyszyn says he does not want to waste time in 2020 on more referendums. He supports Johnson’s deal and wants to see Nottingham get its share of new police officers and NHS funding, which the Conservative manifesto pledges.
Barry Holliday, Liberal Democrats
As well as being pro-EU, Mr Holliday says equality and voting reforms are among his top priorities. He now works as a manager in the NHS and wants to see more infrastructure projects in Nottingham.
John Lawson, Brexit Party
Mr Lawson says he is an old Labour supporter but believes they have turned their backs on voters like him. He wants to leave the European Union and “change politics for good”.
Cath Sutherland, Green Party
Ms Sutherland says “we urgently need to change the way we produce electricity, heat our homes, travel, and many other things, to do them in a way that looks after our wildlife and protects our climate.” She has lived in Nottingham for 30 years.
Rushcliffe
Ruth Edwards, Conservative Party
Having worked in cyber security, Ms Edwards wants to use her experience to help transform public services through the use of new technologies, create new, high-skilled jobs for young people and make Britain a leader in the green economy. She supports Johnson’s deal.
Cheryl Pidgeon, Labour Party
Ms Pidgeon highlights Labour’s “fully-costed” manifesto which details how Labour would make the UK go carbon neutral by 2030. She is anti-austerity and wants to increase funding for public services and hospitals.
Jason Billin, Liberal Democrats
Mr Billin’s policy interests include campaigning for better care for the elderly and their independent living; eliminating oil-based plastics from food packaging; advocating for the adoption of modular eco-build housing schemes; better public transport access from rural areas to NHS care; and a universal basic income. The Liberal Democrats want to stop Brexit.
Matthew Faithfull, UK Independence Party (UKIP)
Mr Faithfull is pro-Brexit, supports lower taxes, wants a points-based immigration system and says British culture should be “protected and not destroyed”. He says he is “not for sale”.
John Kirby, Independent
Mr Kirby says Rushcliffe “deserves” to be represented by someone who puts them front and centre. Mr Kirby, though he voted remain, says Brexit is something that must be fulfilled.
This general election is one of the most important in recent history with great issues at stake. So, get educated on policies and use your vote wisely this December 12th.
Simeon Lee
Featured image courtesy of Adrian Scottow via Flickr. No changes made to this image. Image use license found here.
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