Why The Sleaford and North Hykeham By-Election Matters for the Conservatives...

So after a few days of basking in the glow of the phenomenal result for the Liberal Democrats in Richmond Park on Thursday when Accountant and proud Remain voter Sarah Olney overturned eco activist "Tory turned Independent Tory" millionaire Zac Goldsmith's majority of 23,015 and defiantly vowed to vote against invoking Article 50 in a parliamentary vote, all eyes now turn to the constituency which borders my own (Lincoln) - that of Sleaford and North Hykeham. There's a lot of enthusiastic Lib Dem supporters who are now convinced that they can overturn a similar Conservative majority of 24,115 in an area which voted to Leave the EU at 62.3% (with a high turnout figure of 78.4% in June). It's pie in the sky thinking to believe that Conservative Leave voters have suddenly had a change of heart RE Brexit based on the defeat of one Brexiteer in an area that voted overwhelmingly to Remain. Turnout at this by-election may be even higher than that in Richmond because of the shock nature of that result. Turnout at last year's General Election in Sleaford and North Hykeham was 70.2% and it may increase to figures akin to the EU Referendum percentage if Brexiteers feel they need to protect their mandate. More moderate Leave and moderate Remain voters will want to choose a candidate that will be best placed to help resolve local issues. Yet if candidates in the Sleaford and NH by-election focus predominately on Brexit and immigration issues and doesn't focus on addressing issues that are talked about daily on the doorstep (transportation, law and order, loss of 24 hour A&E service at Grantham Hospital, low wages and improving economic growth figures) they may not reach a potential voting group who matter most...first time Parliamentary voters who voted Remain the EU Referendum.

Lib Dem Threat:

At first glance it appears that the Conservative base have a lot to fear in this by-election. Firstly, they have a late surge to contend with from buoyant Lib Dems who may have a chance to gain votes from Conservative and Labour Remain voters who can't contemplate the thought of voting Labour under Jeremy Corbyn.  Ross Pepper, the Lib Dem candidate is a councillor from my nearest village, Skellingthorpe and just happens to be a member of the LGBTQIA community. I'd have to confess at this current time that I'd be torn between voting Labour and voting Lib Dem should a General Election be called, primarily based on my feelings RE Brexit. Ross seems very personable and his view on Brexit is that we need a 2nd referendum based on the deal that we get from the EU negotiated by May's Government. I think that the idea of a 2nd Referendum is sound but may not get traction with moderate voters who are "sick to death with referenda" and do not want a repeat of the hate discourse thrown around during the campaign.

The Lib Dem vote in Sleaford and North Hykeham in last year's election was only 5.7%, down 12.5% from 2010 when they actually placed 2nd ahead of Labour and UKIP. If the Lib Dems are hoping for a resounding victory on Thursday, they may also need to convince moderate Leave voters to place their trust in Ross that he will fight against "hard Brexit" proposed by far-right Conservatives. Trust is a little tarnished after the inaction of the Lib Dems in the Coalition Government to oppose austerity cuts and unwanted top-down reorganisation of NHS services in Lincolnshire as well as the abject failure of Clegg, Farron et al to see the need for transportation upgrades for rural roads between Sleaford and North Hykeham. The Lib Dems are still held responsible for the disastrous rise in tuition fees to £9,000, a key campaign promise broken by Clegg.

UKIP Threat:

Secondly the Conservatives have an irksome challenge from UKIP, whose candidate, Victoria Ayling, wants to force the Government to trigger Article 50 right now or "even better, immediately repeal the European Communities Act (1972)." Ayling's campaign calls for a "real Brexit", pretty much regardless of any initial economic consequences for the area. Yes, her words do have traction, especially in Sleaford and the surrounding villages. Working class voters are encouraged by Ayling's tough stance on seasonal agricultural workers and her promise of trying to increase the number of "bobbies on the beat" which will be funded by money saved from the UK's EU budget. Farmers and business owners who voted to Leave in June may be more sympathetic to Ayling and UKIP because they believe the sooner we are out of Europe's Single Market, the quicker we can build trading relationships with countries such as China and India and have a chance to convince Farage worshipper Donnie Drumpf to construct a super-mega dope tailored trade deal with the UK based pretty much on his word being law. Personally speaking, whilst I accept there is real frustration over the length of time it's taking to formulate some kind of Brexit plan to ensure that protocol is respected, at least the UK isn't rushing into the Brexit process like a Trumpian bull in a pro-Taiwanese independence Fine Bone China store. Ayling doesn't exactly have the best track record when it comes to displaying the tact required to represent Lincolnshire on the national stage. Yes she taps into the frustration of voters who want to send a message to the Government by "holding their feet to the fire" by "reversing" the Lib Dem win in Richmond and yes she taps into mixed feelings over immigration into Lincolnshire from the EU, especially from Eastern Europe but I doubt most voters share some of her more bizarre views. Ayling's intolerance and lack of compassion was exposed for all to see in the EU Referendum debate held in Lincoln on the 13th June 2016 by The Lincolnite when she cheered and then defended a man's claim that EU migrants brought diseases with them into the UK which would "spread like wildfire" in areas such as Boston and Skegness. Such hysteria over imagined health epidemics is absurd and unfounded and Ayling feeding the flames of such hyperbole was as unwelcome as a lump of coal on a mild Christmas morning.

Conservative Advantage?:

Ayling and UKIP aside, the Conservatives have a massive fight on their hands to keep onto the seat. Conservative candidate, Dr Caroline Johnson, a consultant paediatrician from Sleaford is certainly well liked by her local Conservative branch - her stance on securing the future of the NHS in Lincolnshire by fighting for the reinstatement of a 24-hour Accident and Emergency service at Grantham Hospital (which many residents in Sleaford depend on) coupled with her overt commitment to honouring May's "Brexit Means Brexit" pledge may play well with voters who want "a safe pair of hands" to look after them in Parliament. Johnson's recent campaigning with Lincoln MP Karl McCartney on the proposed Eastern bypass which has led to an investment of £50m being approved by the Government will have garnered some support from North Hykeham locals who believe that the county's roads need to be improved to make them safe and secure in the 21st century. Lincolnshire County Council also gaining £2.5m from the Government's Pothole fund is also welcome, considering this will help repair 46,800 potholes (according to Lincolnshire County Council's website). That being said, if you listen to Dr Johnson's The Lincolnite  interview, you'd be forgiven in thinking that the Junior Doctors are now 100% happy that Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt's contract has been imposed on them and that there won't be any further industrial action from those who are yet to move onto the contract. Dr Johnson's lack of awareness about the proposal from several key Lincolnshire County Councillors for a Lincolnshire specific Medical Training School did take me aback. That, coupled with little acceptance of failures by HR managers at Grantham Hospital to ensure there was adequate staffing levels to keep the A&E open 24 hours a day and little awareness of concerns over GP surgeries closing across the Sleaford and NH constituency (including in Metheringham) and GPs being overwhelmed with administrative management duties that takes them away from front-line patient care didn't strike much confidence in me that Dr Johnson would fight hard for the NHS. Ms Ayling and Mr Pepper do talk about the need for more training facilities in Lincolnshire and to reduce GP paperwork pressures and this could take vital votes away from Dr Johnson on Thursday.

However, one major advantage that I've seen on social media that Ms Ayling doesn't necessarily have is a party outreach network in villages across the constituency. After all, it's not all about Sleaford this election. Dr Johnson can rely on Conservative councillors such as Osbournby's Kate Cook to talk to constituents direct about how Johnson's policies might improve life for villagers in Osbournby and councillors can filter back concerns and ideas generated directly to Dr Johnson. In Osbournby, it's not just about whether Brexit happens. It's about whether their MP will advocate for more vital public to be restored to the village (such as regular bus services to Sleaford), whether their driveways will be adequately gritted by the County Council so that elderly residents won't fall whilst they embark on  their morning constitutional walk and whether the primary school and nursery will continue to receive the Government funding needed to keep them open for the next 4 years. Villagers want to entrust their vote to an MP who will be prepared to help them when their backs are against the wall thanks to sharp Local Government cuts.

North Hykeham, where my grandparents lived for over 30 years, is overwhelmingly Conservative in political leaning. Residents there are concerned about immigration but also about whether there will be more bobbies on the beat, whether they are going to lose street lighting altogether in the early hours of the morning, whether there will be another road built to ease traffic congestion in the area and whether their MP will help stimulate job growth by promoting local companies nationally, including those who rely on Lincoln tourists to balance their books. In 2014, more than 1.5m people visited Lincoln with £58.8m generated for the local economy and business owners who live in the Sleaford and NH have benefited from this. So a candidate for the constituency has to be willing to promote Sleaford's tourist assets and amenities, including the National Centre for Craft and Design as well as key events, such as the Farmers' Market and the Heckington Show. I've not heard Ms Ayling talk at length about the benefits of tourism but Dr Johnson has talked about the importance of marketing Sleaford and NH to the rest of the UK.

RAF Cranwell falls within the constituency and Lincolnshire does have a proud tradition of military service and any candidate has to understand the need to support veterans and active members of the Armed Forces. Lip service will not do. Constituents in the forces want to know whether their next MP will oppose any cuts that are proposed for the base, even if they happen when their own party is in Government. They want to know whether their MP will advocate for better mental health services for veterans in the constituency, whether there will be enough affordable housing in the constituency for veterans to go to, whether there are enough well paid jobs for veterans in local small businesses to help them earn a decent wage and whether their MP will stand with them on Remembrance Sunday and actively promote charities such as the British Legion.

Sleaford and North Hykeham constituents also care very much about the health of Lincolnshire's agricultural sector. The estimated value for the sector that was given in DEFRA's Agriculture in the UK survey of 2006 is £1050 million and 32,000 people are estimated to be directly employed in the sector. Many villagers buy produce from Farmers' Markets such as the one that takes place on the first Saturday of every month in Sleaford whenever it is possible for them to commute to Sleaford to do it. Some even buy direct from the farmers themselves. Any MP for the area must be prepared to meet with farmers on a regular basis to discuss their concerns; the Lincolnshire Forum for Agriculture and Horticulture is one such group. Dr Johnson has the obvious advantage of being married to a local farmer so should have more than a basic awareness of the issues. Another advantage that Dr Johnson has over Ms Ayling is that there is still some leadway in Brexit discussions to protect membership of the Single Market and the National Farmers Union (NFU), which will have members from the constituency, want to maintain tariff free access to it , because75% of exported produce goes to the EU. The NFU say they embrace a future outside the EU but concerns over funding shortfalls  (after the loss of subsidies), possible restrictions over seasonal labour and the need to market Lincolnshire produce abroad have to be addressed by the next MP. Whilst I haven't heard Dr Johnson's specific views on how to overcome these challenges, I'd be relatively confident she has some in the back of her mind.

Conclusion:

The Conservatives need to hold onto Sleaford and North Hykeham. Not only will a victory stop the momentum of the Lib Dems in their tracks, it will also stave off questions about the credibility of May's Brexit plans. You'd think that in a safe Conservative seat that voted to Leave that they would win it comfortably but voters have real concerns about how the Brexit mandate is being delivered or whether May will deliver Brexit at all. Ayling has capitalised on the vacuousness of the "Brexit Means Brexit "mantra, arguing that a win for her and UKIP will force May to "get on with it". Yet Conservatives may yet have their saviour in a local candidate who has a strong support network in villages surrounding Sleaford thanks to many councillors holding safe seats on the District and County Councils. Lib Dems can attack Dr Johnson when it comes to woeful government funding, but there is little evidence of a strong base of support in council representation to galvanise Remain voters to the polls and the fact that they are part of the administration controlling the County Council along with the Conservatives and 3 independents may put off voters, reminding them of Coalition days. It was great seeing activists and members coming to campaign in the area but there needs to be a growth in support over a number of years to bolster numbers back up to 2010 levels. I don't know for sure what will happen on Friday morning when the result is called but the Conservatives need to prepare themselves for a massive reduction in their majority at the very least and another lost seat at worst. Hopefully May, Eric Pickles (Communities and Local Government Secretary) and the rest of her stingy Government will finally realise that a "One Party" nation that works for all needs public services that are properly funded for all...not just the leafy prosperous Home Counties. The Conservatives may have delivered on their 2015 General Election promise to hold the EU Referendum and to advocate for Brexit but that doesn't mean they've been let off the hook for their failure to maintain transport infrastructure (apart from a few grandiose projects aimed at placating the electorate), their failure to properly resource police forces to keep up the number of front-line staff needed to help reassure residents that they are safe or the failure of Jeremy Hunt to put pressure on the management at United Lincolnshire Health Trust to get Grantham Hospital's A&E back open 24/7. Be aware May: Lincolnshire folk are awoke and they'll be watching you like a hawk regardless of the result of this unexpected yet very competitive by-election.

Initial Reactions and Observations from Sleaford and North Hykeham candidate interviews by The Lincolnite

It's quite exciting to have a by-election taking place in the constituency neighbouring mine. I'm pretty sure the spotlight shone on Sleaford and North Hykeham (NH) has never been so bright, mainly due to the shock by-election result that happened in Richmond Park on Thursday night (more on that in my next blogpost). I know the constituency pretty well. I went many times to North Hykeham as a young child to visit my grandparents who had a lovely bungalow at  that they lived in between 1966 (when newly built) and 1998. I've visited the Heckington Show, which happens to be the largest village show in England and which will (hopefully) celebrate its 150 anniversary next year. I've enjoyed buying craft materials from the National Centre for Craft and Design and enjoyed Lincolnshire sausage and bacon buns whilst at the Farmers Market in Sleaford, made from produce gathered from across the county. Metheringham, Ruskington, Eagle, North Scarle, Kyme, Billinghay, Bassingham...there are so many lovely villages to visit. RAF Cranwell falls within the constituency boundary and Lincolnshire residents are extremely supportive of our veterans and active RAF personnel stationed in the county. I care deeply about how all Lincolnshire residents are treated by the Government and the lack of funding for public services from our County Council is abysmal. It's important that an appropriate candidate is therefore chosen to represent Sleaford and NH. So I decided to have a listen to a series of Facebook interviews conducted by Stefan Pidluznyi, a journalist from the Lincolnshire Reporter (in connection with The Lincolnite) with the main candidates for the Sleaford and NH by-election. You can watch the interviews here: http://thelincolnite.co.uk/2016/12/watch-sleaford-north-hykeham-election-candidates-brexit-nhs-transport/

The thoughts I offer below are the initial reactions and observations made from having watched each candidate interview in turn. The main 4 candidates are discussed in slightly more detail.
Whilst not intended to be an attempt to influence voting intention, I hope it does spark some debate and most importantly, if you are a voter, encourage you to go to your local polling station on Thursday!

Victoria Ayling -UKIP.
Lincolnshire County Councillor, stood in Lincolnshire Police and Crime Commissioner Elections and took an active role in campaigning for Vote Leave in the East Midlands area in the EU Referendum.

Brexit/Immigration:

• "Passionate, proven Brexiteer"...tough on crime.
• Repeal European Communities Act rather than invoke Article 50.
• Firm tone, authoritative...not sure describing Lincoln Christmas Market traffic as "interesting" is good considering how much money is brought into the local economy through accommodation/increased tourism figures and also for money for Small Business owners who have stalls at the market.
• A bit spiel orientated in terms of immigration...can't reduce everything down to immigration. Targets missed by Government rightly highlighted. Why attack Remainers? Why do you HAVE to have a Brexiteer as an MP. People do want change...but can UKIP offer positive change for all constituents regardless of their EU vote? Ayling lives in Boston....Caroline lives in Sleaford. No mention of stats by Ayling on population figs; how  many Poles live in the Sleaford and NH constituency? According to ONS's Non UK Born Population Survey from 2014, only 7% of the population in North Kesteven and South Kesteven were born outside the UK, whereas the figure for Lincoln is 16%. Glad that Ayling agrees that Poles are hard-working. Poles angry about Romanians and Bulgarians...playing one Eastern European country off against others? Volume of immigrants is an issue yes but what will you do about it? Why only focus on EU immigration? There aren't many illegal immigrants in Lincolnshire. Health insurance? What about Brits abroad who use health systems for free...what about Brits in Spain? 
• Unconvinced by Ayling's description of the effectiveness of Australian points system. Need more evidence to back up claims.
• Stefan right to argue that farmers need freedom to move between UK and Eastern Europe due to seasonal nature of farming. Ayling replies that "If there is a need for unskilled labour...it'll be covered" but who'll do it? Do local people want to work in the fields? Job centre staff I've spoken to in Lincoln who live in NH have told me that NEETs (18-24 year olds Not in Education, Employment or Training) would not be prepared to pay to travel to farms to work in the fields or live on site. My brother, who is unemployed, laughed at me when I suggested the possibility of doing agricultural work. EU seasonal workers won't automatically get the right to return to the UK after spending off season back in their home country. Ayling states that it would depend on market conditions...whether there is a genuine "shortage" and then re-apply to do that specific job, ensuring they meet some form of (currently unspecified) criteria. The Application process could be open to religious/nationality/race bias depending on the types of border control/immigration control workers hired to do the Admin. Ayling mentions Seasonal Workers Programme as an alternative but not sure going back to old schemes is appropriate.
• "Hospitality being abused"....anti refugee stance? Control Control Control. Fear Fear Fear on immigration won't be encouraging me to vote UKIP!
• Ayling doesn't give concrete examples of EU legislation that she'd like to remove, only to remove "freedom of movement policy" and then mentions silly rule/regulation on toothbrooth construction to instill a sense of ridicule against EU Directives as a whole.
• "They need us more than we need them" stance on EU trade is a bit confrontational. UK may have provided 5.6m jobs inside the EU but that doesn't mean we can afford to be arrogant around the negotiating table. Playing hardball doesn't win you valuable allies. Tariffs could be imposed on us if we leave the Single Market in a huff and Ayling doesn't acknowledge how UK citizens based abroad in the EU may be affected in terms of their own employment status, health status, education costs etc. Don't think many Brits in Spain would like the idea of having to pay to use the Spanish health service or to have British products imported from the UK to Spain.
• Ayling wants to cut Health and Safety Directives but which ones does she identify as nonsense and which are essential...her definition of "common sense" may differ from mine. Anti PC.
• Transgender discrimination was not in place before we joined the EU....would a transgender employee who gets abused at work by a manager be seen as a "genuine grievance" or would they be seen to be using the Employment Tribunal as a "cash cow"? What is the definition of "rogue employee"? SMEs who break current employment legislation- e.g. not paying owed holiday pay/sick pay/maternity pay to employees must be held accountable for their actions and the Employment Tribunal acts as a mechanism for justice for those workers who have been harassed, abused taken for a mug by an organisation, no matter how small that organisation may be.
• EU= "glorified communist megastate"....nope sorry as Nordic Green Left supporter whilst we still are members of the EU I can say such sweeping statements are vacuous...if the EU was socialist, Jeremy Corbyn would have been its most vocal supporter.

NHS:

• Ayling wants  to reopen Grantham 24 hour A&E but also realises that GP surgeries are overstretched. Ayling feels that less red tape is needed- GPs shouldn't have to manage their practices and attend conferences to fill in paperwork. Does that mean reforming the NHS to back away from Commissioning Group control? Does that mean more Admin Managers need to be recruited to ensure essential paperwork (after "red tape" has been removed) is completed, freeing up GPs to look after patients? Where's the money from Local Government/NHS services to do this? Good point-re GP AND Nurse training places need to be increased.

Law and Order/Funding:

• Ayling right to identify voter apathy in Lincs re Conservative majority control...7 Tory MPs and a Tory PCC (I voted for a Labour one but Marc Jones was my second choice).
•  Runding needs to be improved for Sleaford and NH. Visible policing-"bobbies in the beat" is a popular solution and Ayling believes that there is a need for a local police officer for every village. Ayling points out that we can't rely on PSCO's and volunteering schemes but whilst funding levels for local Government and policing remain low for Lincs, Mr Jones is making the most of the resources available, including advocating for a joint base for Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue and Lincolnshire Police at Nettleham to allow the services to collaborate.

Score: 5/10.

Ross Pepper-Liberal Democrat.
Warm, Yellowbelly. Message of hope tone to his narrative. Councillor for Skellingthorpe. Former  Lincoln Parliamentary Candidate, 2015.

Brexit/Immigration:

• Pepper wants to be a representative for all regardless of preference over Brexit. Harness positivity from constituency.
• Clear plan for Brexit needed before voting for Article 50; defending the interests of constituents who voted to Remain and Leave voters in Sleaford and NH who do not feel their views have been represented adequately by the Conservative Government.  
• The Conservatives lurching to the far-right in terms of policies to placate the Brexiteer wing has put off some Remain voters.
• Pepper is a proud Europhile...wants a 2nd Ref which would be on the terms/plan put forward by the Conservative Government. Would calling for a General Election once the Conservatives have worked out a plan and presented it to the British people actually be more appropriate? Ensure that May has to present the finalised plan for approval to Parliament and then call for the election if the plan isn't deemed workable for your own constituents.
• Pepper respects the results of the 1st Referendum (Good).

NHS:

• Mentions Grantham A&E, closure of Metheringham surgery in the New Year which is extremely disappointing to hear about...but not entirely unexpected given current GP recruitment and GP surgery funding crises.
• Pepper feels there is a need for more nurses and doctors but believes that we should look to the EU to try and entice nurses and doctors to come and work in Lincolnshire rather than wait for training to be set up. That being said, Pepper supports the idea of the establishment of  Lincoln Medical School that will train doctors as well as nurses at the University of Lincoln.
• Retention of medical staff is an important issue for Pepper, pointing to the "brain drain" that goes on in the NHS. I think that the "brain drain" has continued in the private sector, with single graduates choosing to go to major cities to further their careers because SMEs are less willing to hire them (because they could pay Apprentices less to do the same job). Bosses have talked about the need to make sure grads and school leavers have basic employability skills in place prior to applying for a job- e.g. appropriate IT/Numeracy skills.  Grads also move to improve their quality of life or to get a better salary.
• Ambulance times are certainly critical and linking to the inadequacy of road network in the constituency was clever. I think Pepper would need to speak to EMAS to work together with them to address constituents concerns...e.g. trying to get them to update processes to prioritise most urgent cases or support an education campaign to get more constituents to use the 101 service rather than dial 999 straight away.
• I'd have liked more nuance on Grantham issue from Pepper though...how many Drs are needed? Has he spoken to nurses/doctors about their concerns?

Transportation:

• Duel the Eastern Bypass would have improved access to Lincoln County Hospital for Sleaford and NH Constituents. Short term investment that focuses on getting a single carriageway was not the right answer.
• A15 missed out on funding...but definitely needs improvement to ensure drivers using the road feel safe and secure on that road regardless of conditions.
• Pepper didn't really mention £2.5m potholing funding that had been sourced by Karl McCartney? Credit where credit's due?
• How much more funding would be needed to improve rail infrastructure? Rolling carriage stock issues very good to highlight. What about ticket prices? Franchises to work together rather than nationalism and sort out connectivity issues is a good policy idea...waiting at stations for hours on end frustrates passengers trying to get to work who can have their pay docked as a result of being late.

Funding/ Constituency Cohesiveness:

• Lincolnshire needs to be at "the front of the queue" for funding...Pepper believes that the Conservatives or Labour won't bother investing in the county because they've never bothered before. Stefan pointed out lack of inaction during the Coalition Government...would the Lib Dems push for more funding should they ever get into Government again?
• Large constituency but it's not about playing villages off against each other in terms of funding/attention. Pepper will work with neighbouring MPs to get the "best deal"...make sure that includes praising them for existing work done on transportation :P
• I'd have liked a nod/mention to Jo Cox here- "more that unites us than divides us" message does resonate with progressive voters.
• Hmmm is Witney really a similar constituency....it did vote to Remain after all?

Score: 9/10

Dr Caroline Johnson - Conservative
Firm tone which seemed quite rehearsed at times. Yellowbelly. Rural awareness through marriage to
farmer. Real life work experience in the NHS as a consultant pediatrician.

Brexit/Immigration:

• Leave voter...but repeats Government mantra line "Brexit Means Brexit" ad infinitum...have to keep some cards close to chest but even a rough timetable/plan would help.
• Brexit is an opportunity to make deals with Non-EU countries...would that include encouraging local businesses to trade with China/India? Would that mean more secondary students in the constituency should be encouraged to study Modern Foreign Languages such as Mandarin or Spanish to be able to increase likelihood of trade deals progressing past initial planning stages?
• I'd really like to know whether we are going to leave the Single Market and how will that affect farmers and local small businesses in Sleaford and NH? Dr Johnson mentions no details on EU legislation that might be repealed post Brexit or whether there would be extra funding streams available for Lincolnshire post-Brexit. I'm not sure that lack of detail will impress Conservative Leave or Remain voters.

NHS:

• Dr Johnson mentions how Grantham Hospital helped save her husband's life twice and she values the service that he received.
• Dr Johnson wants to see Grantham A&E service reopened ASAP as long as the A&E can be fully staffed.
• Recruitment and Retention is important...improve training opportunities for British nurses and doctors...encourage more students into wanting to become Lincs based GPs. Should have asked a HR Assistant in your local hospital to gain in depth understanding of procedure perhaps...such as the laws pertaining to recruitment from abroad?
• Dr Johnson believes the Junior Doctors industrial action has now finished and they have accepted the proposals to finalise contracts as laid down by Jeremy Hunt. Some Junior Doctors would disagree that the matter has been resolved to their satisfaction.
• Dr Johnson is not sure whether establishing a Lincolnshire Medical School would add much to the training system...most medical schools are trained at a tertiary centre and they have a rota system to visit a number of different hospitals in the area.  
• Dr Johnson seems to suggest that NHS service providers in Lincs, including United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust (ULHT) and Lincs Community Hospital Services (LCHS) are "receiving enough money" but why do hospital staff talk about lack of funding being a driving factor in the stress of NHS services?
• Pledge on the bus was an out and out LIE...just admit that....it'd improve your credibility with Leave voters who want to trust in the party of Government to deliver an honest Brexit.

Transportation:

• Collaboration with fellow Tory MPs is a good selling point for Dr Johnson. She's stated that she'll work with Karl McCartney on transport schemes and to secure funding for them. Eastern bypass and improvements West of Grantham will benefit constituents but I'd have liked Caroline to mention A15 and to have heard more about the smaller road schemes proposed within the constituency.  
• Dr Johnson mentions the fact that a rail forum has been organised by local Conservative MPs so that they can discuss the frequency of rail services in the constituency...nothing about improving rolling stock though!

Other Notes:

• I was pleased that Dr Johnson mentioned her 5 point plan towards the end of the interview, mentioning policies already scheduled to be implemented by the Government according to the Autumn Statement announced last month:
•  Fast Digital Broadband,
• Rural Crime prevention,
• Support local shops and small businesses, 
• Sustainable, Sensitive Housing Schemes, 
• Transport links. Not much mentioned RE Farming though. Disappointing.

Score: 8/10

Jim Clarke- Labour
Passionate Labour Party member who is a local refuse driver with a degree from the "university of life". Likeable cheeky chappy attitude.

Brexit:

• Remain voter but prepared to invoke Article 50 because he understands the need to respect the views of all constituents.
• Clarke mentions Ayling's continued use of the vacuous term "red tape" to describe any legislation/regulation/directive that doesn't fit with her view of "common sense" laws. We don't really yet know what she means. There is certainly a need to protect Health and Safety Laws, from possible Brexiteer attacks post Brexit.
• Clarke is right to mention worries about price inflation and erosion of workers rights. There is concern that the recent NLW increase and income tax threshold rise will not being enough to offset a rise in basic food prices. Equality Act, Working Time Directives/Maternity/Paternity rights/ right to protest/belong to a Trade Union and right to go to an Employment Tribunal if you have been discriminated against have got to be protected.
• The lack of plan/action from May is extremely concerning. Clarke doesn't expand on what he believes the plan should be, other than to wait and see what the EU offers the UK before deciding on whether to leave the Single Market.
• Fear has been creating division, especially when it comes to worker solidarity. Wage stagnation/undercutting isn't acceptable. Clarke says that voters shouldn't "blame the exploited, blame the exploiters." Yes there is evidence to suggest that agencies have been exploiting Eastern European migrants who work in agriculture...they don't get paid the NLW, they don't get to decide whether to join a trade union etc.
• Clarke remembers Jeremy Corbyn's national line RE the Migrant Impact Fund; it shouldn't have been scrapped. 
• Clark believes that we should negotiate on freedom of movement alongside trade deals...that way countries may be more sympathetic to our view point RE immigration and may reform the central policy to provide necessary immigration controls.

NHS:

• Clarke is in favour of re-instating 24 hour Grantham A&E service.
• Clarke blames the Tories for the staffing problems saying that if they had wanted to increase personnel to prevent A&E service from having to close overnight, the local MPs would have lobbied for more funding.

Law and Order:

• Clarke wants to see more "bobbies on the beat" and blames Marc Jones for not asking for a fairer funding deal from central Government now that May has taken office. Clarke is in danger of appearing too partisan in his attacks and I do think that more awareness of Marc Jones's successful campaigns would have gone down better. For example, Mr Jones has worked hard to help promote the  "Ask for Angela" campaign created by Domestic Abuse and Violence lead Hayley Child; it has been widely praised and versions can now be seen in London and as far afield as Sydney and New York.
•  Costings needed...ask one of the MPs! Perception that rural crime isn't being tackled due to reduction of bobbies on the beat.

Transportation:

• Clarke wants to re-nationalise the railways once franchise contracts end. Very true East Coast trains was more efficient when nationalised and Virgin has made services slower.
•  Clarke mentions the need for A17 to get investment and he believes it should be a dual carriageway. Clarke also wants to look at getting investment for Southern Bypass which would prove popular with voters...but he needs to make sure such campaign pledges can be fully budgeted for.

Other:

•  I got the sense from the interview that Mr Clarke seemed unable to expand on issues to fully explain policy. I was happy that he mentioned the Migrant Impact Fund but I'd have liked to have seen him talk about housing strategies, proposed increases in the NLW to at least £9 an hour and the need to scrap the bedroom tax. In terms of his answers on the NHS, I think mentioning strain on Mental Health services and Social care could have possibly strengthened his appeal because constituents do care about whether there are enough care workers in Sleaford and NH to help look after elderly residents or those with disabilities. I'm not sure whether more briefing by Jeremy Corbyn/John McDonnell before the interview would have helped but I hope the party will help Mr Clarke with researching policies thoroughly should he be elected as MP on Thursday.
• Positively speaking, I was glad that Mr Clarke mentioned Equality and Social Justice right at the very end of the interview. Some sceptics would say this was a bit of an "add on" that was intended to enthuse Labour voters.

Score: 7/10

Sarah Stock-Independent Part of Fight for Grantham Hospital Campaign (F4GH)
Cancer survivor, wants to have her voice heard to talk about vital need for Grantham A&E services to be available 24 hours a day. Dedicated campaigner. Very authentic voice. Silent majority-apathy...think we can't change things...woken up from anesthetic. We feel like we have nothing.

NHS:

• Stock mentions a National Directive created Hit list from 2010 when 66 hospitals in the UK were classified as needing to be closed or downgraded to fall in line with the Austerity measures proposed by George Osborne. Since 2010, over half have been closed or downgraded.
• Stock believes that the 2012 Health and Social Care Act split the ULHT and NHS Lincs services in general into too many different areas, which has now left an accountability gap.
• Stock points to failures by management, especially HR staff to adequately plan their recruitment and retention. She believes that ULHT should have actively recruited earlier. Budgets should have contingency planning in as standard and if the NHS is meant to be more "business like" in how it conducts its activities, there has to be a tightening of policies and procedures and a cultural change.
• The fact that there are only 3 hospitals in Lincolnshire worries Stock and her supporters. Waiting times at Lincoln County Hospital are "unmanageable" so can't really take the strain of diverted patients from Grantham. Boston has "long been on the hitlist for downgrading", which means that Lincoln County could end up with a massive increase in patients without any promises of extra funding. Lincoln can't be a superhub for the whole of Lincs without extra funding and extra staff. 

Transport:

• Stock is critical of recent funding allocations to Lincolnshire to help ease congestion and improve transport infrastructure. She points to the £3 million transport money only becoming available after the by-election was called, so perhaps this was done to "placate" current Tory voters in the constituency.
• Stock wants county-wide plan to upgrade road infrastructure, more than the "breadcrumbs" being offered by the Government.
•  No figs for no of ambulance staff, bobbies, firefighters needed...a bit wishy-washy. Training important. Airforce mentioned...Cranwell families need good local public amenities!

Brexit:

• Stock classifies herself as a moderate Leave voter whose main issue was with the foreign aid budget. I think there are voters who believe that the aid budget should be reduced, with the money diverted to Local Government funding.
• Stock agrees that there wasn't a fully-fledged plan put in place prior to the EU referendum result being called and that the lack of certainty in how Brexit will be delivered has lead to increases in fear rhetoric which can manifest itself in hatet tweets/bullying from both extremes. Panic/fear driven rhetoric has been divisive and detracts from looking at possibilities outside the EU.

Score: 8.75/10

A few details about other candidates in the Sleaford and NH Election:

Marianne Overton Lincolnshire Independents
Lincolnshire Independents are a network of councillors and members who work together to try and come up with practical solutions to improve the lives of residents by listening to them. As an independent group they are not subject to whips etc. Overton stood as a candidate for Sleaford and NH in 2015 and currently works as a District Councillor/ County Councillor. She is also Vice Chancellor of Local Government Association with a responsibility to upskill local councillors across the country. Marianne sounds like the perfect person to have to represent Lincs at a local level...is it better for her to stay on the County Council.

NHS:
Overton was quick to mention the importance of upgrading Adult social care in the Lincs area and it sounded like it is a major issue that comes up on the doorstep. Overton also talked about the frustration constituents have about Grantham A&E overnight closure and the fact that ambulance pressures are increasing about EMAS's response time (something mentioned in the news a lot in this past week).

Funding:
Overton believes that too much council tax is being kept in the coffers of central Government. There's been too many cuts to local services because reserves are now essentially depleted. Overton mentions that Lincs County Council will have a funding gap of £57 million next year, which is very concerning considering the cuts that Lincs CC have already made. Council leader Martin Hill has already talked about £40 million needing to be cut from the budget, which he intimates would come from closing some local parks, firing park rangers and considering charges for museums and art galleries. 30 libraries across Lincolnshire have already been turned over to voluntary organisations. The reason that Lincolnshire bears the brunt of funding crises according to Overton is that safe seating has allowed a lapse attitude to set in at Parliamentary level towards Lincolnshire...this seems to be a common thread adopted by all candidates in this election.

Transportation:
Overton is the only candidate that talks about the need to improve pavements...she says that elderly residents are at risk of falling. Overton believes that the pothole funding allocated to Lincs is not enough and should have included improvements to paving. The lack of scheduled funding over a long period for pothole repairs has made the situation worse.
Overton agrees with Mr Pepper that the Eastern bypass should have been duelled and there is a need for considering a Southern bypass. Overton also says that North Hykeham is "very congested" and there is need for another road in the area to ease pressures but admits substantial funding would be needed to "make this happen".

Brexit:
Overton admits she is a Leave voter who made her decision based on the limited resources the UK has on offer to support people currently here in the UK. She says this despite the fact she is a Europhile and that her son is currently studying in Utrecht (the Netherlands). Strangely sharing a position akin to some UKIP voters, Overton argues that public service pressures in Germany and hardening attitudes  might lead to refugees attempting to come to the UK to find work in places like Sleaford and this could lead to our "small island sinking". Overton believes that work permits need to be granted to people coming into the area and you need to have a job before you come to the area. However, what would happen to a migrant family if the father/mother lost their job and they have children enrolled in local schools? Would Overton be OK with forcing them to go back to "their own country?"
With regards to EU legislation, Overton tells us that she's currently charged with looking at 500 pieces of EU legislation on both a local and national committee to look at how the UK can easily take back control in the months immediately following Brexit. Overton's priority is to reduce funding for the EU so the money can be used locally to pay for street paving or housing. Overton argues that environmental protections (clean air/beach quality) need to maintained post Brexit. Interestingly, Overton wants to change the laws regarding procurement of local government service contracts so that they do not need to offered to businesses in the EU as part of "equal opportunity" business rules. She gives the example of her fight to get Leadenham Recycling site re-opened; she had the funding in place from the Council but the lack of co-operation from the contractor (based in Spain) meant the project couldn't happen. Overton says that the procurement system lacks accountability and it would be better to use local contractors who could be held accountable to the Council and constituents. My only question is...why didn't Ayling talk about the fact that local councils are already looking at EU legislation to keep/cut? If she had discussed this in more detail, I bet she would gain more votes.

Score: 8.5/10

Peter Hill - Iconic Arty Pole Monster Raving Loony Party
Magazine article writer. Suave. Hill talks about the usual policies..99p coin, passports for dogs, 24 hour pubs and protection for Unicorns. Well I have unicorn earrings so yeah I'm in solidarity with that. Hill does go on to talk about more constituency focused issues...for example he mentions that Sleaford and NH are the 8th largest constituency in terms of number of voters, so why do they get less money than almost any other constituency in the UK? I thought that Hill was great at pointing out that most constituencies in Lincoln have a Conservative vote share that's above 50%, especially in places such as Boston and Skegness and Gainsborough.

Social Housing:

Hill is frustrated at the fact that nobody's really talking about social housing in the by-election; he says it is due to the fact it is a touchy feely" subject. An interesting part of his argument is that he believs the number of homeless people in Lincs equals the number of
empty properties in Lincs, give or take 5%....60/70 houses low cost in one hamlet not good but smaller affordable housing schemes as percentage of total village/hamlet would avoid creation of "ghettos".  Estate creation is not the solution for Hill but I'd warn him to be careful not to denigrate residents living in estates as all having unkempt properties...some do but not the majority.
Hill believes that 2/3 houses in villages to begin with is the best way forward, so that those who move in can assimilate into village life but how much would this cost and would working class people be able to afford to live in those houses? I thought it was madness that Hill lives in a village which has no current bus service but a lovely bus shelter!

Brexit:

Hill voted Leave (out) to "shake it all about"...I think he did it to annoy Eastern and Southern European bureaucrats but can't be sure? I did agree with Hill that constantly moving EU members from Brussels to Strasbourg every few weeks is wasteful. I was a little concerned about Hill's understanding of  red tape"...he doesn't like "paperwork" but he'd have to get to grips with tonnes of it if he became MP. I'd have liked to have heard examples of Health and Safety laws that he didn't believe were nonsensical.

NHS:

In terms of the situation at Grantham Hospital, Hill was stunned to learn that they were 17-20 doctors short before they decided to close the  overnight A&E service...it exposes a real lack of HR strategic plan. Hill believes it's more to do with the Tory Government's overarching interest in
privatisation and as agency staff increase, there is less financing available to provide full time, permanent contracts for local residents. Hill believes there is a need for a "nice and good" teaching hospital in Lincolnshire...a medical school based in Lincoln? Overall

Actually impressed by Hill's closing argument that more people in the Sleaford and NH constituency need to exercise their right to vote, something no other candidate bothers to mention during their interview.

Score: 7.5/10

David Bishop- Bus Pass Elvis Party
Humorous candidate with an interesting backstory as to why he decided to run in the election...he is a Nottingham resident and founder of the "Church of Militant Elvis". I think he does tap into the rebel attitude of the Baby boomer generation.
Bishop is a Green party supporter and is against factory farming. Bishop initially wanted to run for Sleaford and NH constituency to stand against milk producing factory farm at Nocton in 2010.

Key policies for Bishop include mounting a campaign to save rural buses, save public lavatories from closure and scrap HS2 to use the money to fund local train and bus services. I do agree with Bishop that there is a need to either ban air guns or ensure that people are licenced to carry them; Bishop talked about an incident that happened when two young guys shot him in the back and it's clearly unacceptable to use air guns to shoot beloved pets or animals.

Brexit:

Bishop is a Remain voter who voted to Leave in 1975. His main reason for voting Remain was to ensure that environmental protections are not eroded. Bishop doesn't trust that the Government will honour the Paris Agreement after we formally leave the EU, despite many non-EU countries such as China and Norway already having signed and ratified the agreement.  UKIP are really the only party I've heard about who might try and scrap environmental protections given in EU legislation.

Sleaford Decline:

Bishop talks about there being more empty shops and pubs in Sleaford than 2 years ago...a constituent actually told Bishop that they believed Sleaford was a "dying town". One solution that Bishop offers to reverse the decline would be to legalise brothels and then turn local pubs into brothels? Are there many sex workers in Sleaford? What are the provisions available for them to practice their trade safely? "20% discount for OAPs to use brothels"....seemed a bit too flippant on sex worker issues.

The real question for me is why didn't Bishop decide to stand for the Green party in Sleaford and NH? I don't understand why Bishop didn't think Green voters might have rallied around him. He did admit that the Green party might have a lower chance in the East Midlands but surely that's a rallying cry to get constituents more interested in the party? If Bishop has such a defeatist attitude towards the popularity of his policies, would this attitude dog his possible term as an MP?

Score: 6/10

Paul Coyne: Independent-
Local Government Officer and then Sleaford Town Councillor from 2015.
Coyne is a lifelong die-hard Conservative voter who feels he is not able to vote for Dr Johnson. Coyne is not a Conservative party member because he didn't want to be subjected to the party "whip". Many staunch Conservative voters have told Coyne on the doorstep that they can't bring themselves to vote for Dr Johnson because she is the "wrong candidate"...but does that mean that they will necessarily vote for you? They may end up voting for UKIP! Coyne moans at the fact that Dr Johnson is even considering giving up her part time job...it's a "loss to the NHS that they cannot afford". If she does become an MP Coyne believes that Dr Johnson would be a "part time MP who can't give them their full representation". At least Coyne is honest about mixed feelings of Conservative constituents.

Coyne talks about a "genuine choice" being available to voters in Sleaford and NH because of the nature of the election. He states that in a General Election there is a sense that voters will vote for the
status quo and there is the certainty of nothing changing. Coyne wants voters to use the by-election to send a message to the Government that they need to address chronic underfunding in Lincolnshire...they need to put more money into public services across the board...not just transportation or the NHS...i.e. adopt a multifaceted approach.

Transportation:

Coyne wants to duel the A17, A15 and to establish a Southern Bypass with roundabout system. He feels this would then make more large scale housing developments proposed for Sleaford for 1400-1500 houses more feasible. However Coyne didn't offer any costings to show how much funding would be needed to improve road infrastructure and I think for independent candidates, having a viable budget plan to share with voters is important.

NHS:

Coyne seems to be for re-opening the 24 hour A&E service but he used the issue to attack Dr Johnson. I do agree that hospitals do need to be able to provide a basic service and I'd say that that
paediatric medicine is a basic service that must be provided at Grantham. That being said, the £350m promised for the NHS by Vote Leave would be more than enough to entice new staff to Grantham and Coyne shouldn't just see it as "just a bolt-on" that should be ignored...Leave voters in the area did vote based on it! Coyne also dismisses Sarah Stock as a Stock as one-issue campaigner, saying there is "no weight behind her" but having listened to Stock's arguments, I'd disagree with this.

Brexit:
Coyne is a Leave voter and he says he voted because the EU didn't volunteer "to radically reform bureaucracy.  Coyne didn't offer any EU legislation that he'd want to repeal or save....seemed a bit misinformed. That being said, he did talk about the fact there are no workplace pension protections at EU level so there is no way of preventing company bosses from raiding pension pots. Should the ECJ have legislated or should the UK Government have taken the initiative?

Score: 6.25/10.


Rankings:

1. Ross Pepper- 9/10
2. Sarah Stock - 8.75/10
3. Marianne Overton- 8.5/10
4. Dr Caroline Johnson- 8/10
5. Peter Hill- 7.5/10
6. Jim Clarke-7/10
7. Paul Coyne-6.25/10
8. David Bishop-6/10
9. Victoria Ayling- 5/10

 

Men can Menstruate: The Importance of Understanding the story behind the #IfMenHadPeriods hashtag

So a Twitter ruckus has been created, supposedly within the "left wing" diversity centric side of the social media platform. It's been said that a liberal feminist Dr Jennifer Gunter created the #IfMenHadPeriods hashtag to imagine what it'd be like for cisgender men if they had a period. Her tweet said "#IfMenHadPeriods pads would be free". Which is a fair comment within the context of the debate surrounding access to sanitary products in allowing them to be readily available to all women regardless of social class, nationality and geographical location. It is realistic to suggest that if all men went through periods, there would be government funded sanitary product programmes in place to provide them with the necessary relief from embarrassment. Since the Establishment remains mostly patriarchal, even in the West, it would still hold true that part of the reason why government subsidised tampons are opposed by men is because male taxpayers are affronted by the idea of paying for basic hygiene measures even if it might make their wives/girlfriends feel better.

After the initial tweet, mockery then ensued after there were calls for Dr Gunter's tweets to be promoted. Many feminists thought that pictures of men pissing up walls with blood and writing their name (rather stereotypical of masculine "laddish" behaviour) were fine to disseminate across Twitter. As a satirist I do find such images rather reflective of societal attitudes, at least for a portion of Western society where men do tend to piss in the street despite being told not to. Then it was that time in the tweeting cycle when notorious Conservative Alt-Righter Steven Crowther just had to get involved and blame feminists for "wanting free stuff" and that this was "embarrassing"- the usual garbage you get when there's a battle between left and right over women's bodies. What Mr Crowther doesn't understand is that menstruation does get stigmatised in many countries across the world, especially in Africa, where women can often have very little access to toilet facilities and running water, let alone sanitary products. WaterAid actually ran a series of vids entitled If Men Had Periods to highlight this very issue. They then ran a survey which found that 70% of woman believe menstruation would not be stigmatised if men went through the menstrual cycle. This is no laughing matter: it demonstrates just how misogynistic society remains when they discriminate on the basis of biological difference. I believe the UK government should fund sanitary products for all women but that they should definitely be free of tax. This should now happen thanks to an online petition campaign created by Laura Coryton a 22 year old activist in May 2014 called "Stop Taxing Tampons, Period" to end 5% VAT on tampons which gained over 320,000 signatures, and which despite being initially opposed by EU bureaucrats is likely to be scrapped because we are leaving the EU. Manjit K Gill, founder of menstrual dignity charity Binti International said that if the Tory Govt carries out their proposal to scrap the tax it will mean that "homeless women in the UK may no longer have to use socks, rag or newspaper" to soak up blood discharge. Even male MPs such as Labour's Paul Sherriff believe that the tax cut should be passed onto female consumers (which means seeing a reduction in tampon costs overall) and that if the tax cut isn't passed on, he would propose amendments to the Finance Bill to provide for a windfall tax for female consumers. A progressive measure proposed by a cisgender men! Who can believe it?? Yet none of the tweets on the #IfMenHadPeriods hashtag seem to refer to such discussion, which is a great shame!

I guess what Dr Gunter and Mr Crowther didn't expect to happen next was for trans activists to take so much offence at the hashtag. They were quick to point out the major flaw with this hashtag when you take it seriously: some men do have periods because trans men who are only at the start of their transition journey will continue to have periods. But let's go one step further: non-binary/queer/gender-fluid people have biological organs which mean they end up going through the menstruation cycle bleed too. And not every trans man is comfortable with the idea of going through hormone therapy or gender reassignment surgery. So they will continue to have periods for the rest of their lives. Let's go even further: What about intersex people? What about cisgender women who can't have periods due to medical reasons? Does that make them any less of a woman? Not if they identify as a woman. Yet these people never get mentioned within the debate by trans and feminist tweeters. It seems to be an Either/Or binary that gets created: you have to be trans to be defended from attack and trans exclusory feminists (TERFs) can't help but be derisory towards trans people but only those who have gone through surgery! TERFs are ultra-critical of trans women, accusing them of being "panto dames" who mutilate themselves to create their own fantasy woman image by using their own body to do it. Essentially they fetishize trans women and make transition a mostly sexual based decision. However TERFs tend to be rather quiet when it comes to trans men and their need for sanitary products. Indeed I've seen several tweeters who have damned trans men for daring to change their gender and tell them if they're so bothered about their periods they can get sanitary products readily because they'll "automatically gain more money" due to their change in gender which very rarely happens till the person has at least produced a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC) and changed jobs anyways!

What is important for trans activists and intersectional feminists who happen to be trans to see is that the Alt Righters and Conservatives couldn't wait to get stuck in and use the hashtag as a way of delegitimising feminism and SJWs as well as discriminating against the trans male community as a whole, accusing them of "lying" because they refuse to adhere to an immutable dual gender binary and they go against "doctors" because of this. Most TERFs happen to be conservative minded so it's no surprise they are ready to back Alt-Righters to enforce bigotry and prejudice. Yet trans activists need to see the whole picture with regards to the hashtag; that it wasn't initially created to cause offense to the LGBTQIA community but to highlight awareness of sanitary product provisions. Alt-Righting TERFs expected trans activists to be immediately dismissive of this. They wanted to see that trans activists don't have a sense of humour. So the best trans activists can do is to try and shake off the criticism, highlight the follies that are brought out by such a hashtag and perhaps get people to realise the importance of seeing beyond the dual binary system. Some men do menstruate, they care about sanitary provisions being available for all women. TERFs have to accept their caring attitude and accept that even cisgender men like Paul Sherriff can care about women's issues. Then maybe we can all have a laugh at blood spurting up the wall satirical pictures. Maybe.

Coming Out The Political Closet: Confessions Of An Independent British (English) Voter

I love #GeneraElectionMania. Whether it be a UK, US, Norwegian or even Swedish election I'm hooked line and sinker into watching endless hours of MSM coverage tempered by the ferocity of social media tweeters who have #PoliticalSatire sharpened to a finely crafted point of ouchery bordering on offensiveness. It's the time when all sorts of wacko crazy ideas and ill conceived concepts are floated about using the mouthpiece of psychedelically dressed, hooting candidates who like nothing better than to overpromise and blame previous underdelivery on the incumbent party representative or even their own party representatives in their Millionaire's Row being watched over by the far more reliable "Elizabethan Tower" in (aka Houses of Parliament and Big Ben).

Now unlike most people who bothered to take time out from their "hectic" lunch hours where queuing for a "super healthy" carrot smoothie seems to take more time than ordering a calorific Big Mac, I'm proud to talk about who I voted for at the last GE openly and honestly; I voted for Labour candidates at local council level  but for a Tory MP and then in this year's local elections I voted for 2 Labour candidate and 1 Tory candidate  (including the very modest and Lincoln City Council social inclusion Labour candidate Rosanne Kirk) and for a Tory PCC candidate, all of whom won their respective races. Why did I vote the way I did? Did I have some "Mystic Meg Third Eye" that only I know about? The answer seems so simple yet would annoy the hell out of those who feel they can only vote for one party or another based purely on internalised perceptions of party "values": I voted for the person who I believed would be most qualified to carry out the duties required of them at each stage of Government, unless a candidate  convinces me they have the tenacity, passion and will to highlight causes that have been underrepresented or ignored within my local community. So far I've never met a local politician who has sparked enough of a desire within me to ignore national policies and vote solely based on their own causes and values which is a great shame.

Can a Voter ever truly be Independent?

Whether a voter can be truly defined as an independent is a question that mostly occupies the minds of purely philosophical political pundits whose job it is to analyse the minisculeness elements of the  mindsets of potential non-party affiliated voters to see if they can label them in an appropriate way to see "whether the national political land lies" and offer conclusions as to why there may have been significant changes in voting patterns, such as an increase in first time voters from the 25 and over age groups or why more women may choose to vote for Jeremy Corbyn rather than Theresa May
and thus vote for whoever their local party puts up as a candidate for MP regardless of whether they may know that candidate's personal values or causes or what they are hoping to achieve to make local people's lives better even if it may be to the detriment of big interest lobbyists.

A myth peddled around by bitter party activists from all sides of the political spectrum is that independent voters are "closet partisans" who say they are independent to "win semantic moral high ground" should their candidate win or blame the party activists should they lose and yet regularly vote for only one party. However these voters are far more persuadable than committed members of other parties; they will swing if a party candidate for PM or MP can offer viable solutions to local and domestic issues that matter to independent voters; these will differ individually on some issues. For example, if Corbyn talked about reforming the Gender Recognition Act to scale back the need to gain a medical diagnosis to change legal gender status or advocated for changing the protected characteristic from "Gender Reassignment" to "Gender Identity" I'd be more likely to consider voting for the next Labour candidate to challenge the Tory incumbent provided they would accept the party policy stance. And the same would work vice versa (and would probably be more likely to be the case).

What General Issues Occupy The Minds of Independent Voters?

However, there are a number of issues that seem to have majority interest and support across the independent voting audience. This is because they are the issues which are talked about most online via social media platforms, via MSM leading news stories and also when I talk to family and friends on a regular basis when sitting down to a "Fish supper" from the local chippy.

 These include:

• Funding the NHS appropriately to prevent A&E partial and full closures;
• Bringing down NHS waiting times for operations across the UK;
• Ensuring taxes are lowest for those who are on the National Living Wage;
• Reducing the national debt in a sustainable manner whilst not imposing unnecessary hardships on the UK population;
• Increasing infrastructure funding with an emphasis on house building and transport hubs in the North;
• Increasing opportunities for young people in the workplace regardless of social class, gender identity race and ability;
• Reducing levels of corruption within local and national government as well as in private sector companies;
• Ensuring every company that operates in the UK pays at least the NLW to their workers;
• Addressing educational inequalities between rural schools in the North and London;
• Addressing levels of immigration from within the EU who come to perform entry level jobs;
• Increasing representation of minority groups within local and national government.

Sorry I'm not a staunch Unionist; I won't vote for someone based on their desire to adhere to an outdated form of identification where one country aims to subjugate the other three based purely on "electorate numbers" and supposed "common identity" when that country refuses to teach about the history, culture and language of those 3 countries. It may be because of my Norwegian heritage that I strongly support Scottish independence, but I'm not afraid of what might happen should a second independence referendum be granted to Scotland they vote to leave the Union at 60-40.

Why doesn't everyone become an independent voter?

As you can probably tell from my previous posts, there are independent voters are engaged with political issues that affect them on a regular basis. It is said that independents may be turned off by negative political ad campaigns and by excessive jargon use that muddy the coherency of a party's narrative. Independents want to hear solutions to existing problems and plausible preventative measures to put in place where possible to reduce the likelihood of future issues arising. For example, trying to control immigration from the EU on a par with immigration from outside the EU may reduce sentiments of racial/religious prejudice provided existing issues concerning increases in hate crime and rhetoric use in schools is addressed head-on through diversity education lessons in RE, PSHE and Citizenship.

Notwithstanding this, there is a large segment of the UK population chooses not to exercise their right to vote. According to  UK the think-tank "Vote or Vote None",  just over a third (34%) of registered voters in the UK did not vote in the 2015 GE. The figure was also 34% in the 2010 GE and 38% in 2005. "Vote or Vote None" argue these registered voters should not be silent but vote for candidates from smaller parties or independent candidates because there is a large enough volume (especially in smaller marginal cities such as Lincoln) to get those candidates elected. Voting against the main parties may be a protest vote but at least you can feel safe in the knowledge that you voted based on your principles and against the Government or main opposition parties because you want policies that better represent your views!

The Situation For Me Now:

I don't know how I shall vote yet at the next election. I've been reading and dissecting tweets from Labour, Conservative, Green and even UKIP activists to see whether they are addressing issues which matter to me at a local and national level. Whilst I am supportive of Theresa May's goal to give shareholders more power within boardrooms and the need to reform our austerity policies to reflect the economic reality caused by the uncertainty generated after Brexit, as well as the unfortunate requirement to commit to renewing Trident to act as an ultimate deterrent against North Korea et al, I have had more affinity with tweets being circulated by Corbyn supporters. I like their enthusiasm and passion for what they perceive as generating real change for working class families, especially in relation to increasing taxes on wealthy individuals in the top 1%. I also like Owen Smith's infrastructure plans- £200m for investment is far more than has been promised by George Osborne; we are yet to see what Philip Hammond's Autumn Statement will bring investment wise.

I am impressed by Green MP Caroline Lucas's call for a "left progressive alliance" including the SNP, Plaid Cymru and Labour to form the next government to rexamine Brexit procedure and generate a parliamentary debate on whether it is economically plausible to leave the EU based on current data and future projections. I also like the way they decide on organising their leadership contest; the idea of a joint leadership bid shows the desire for the Green Party to appeal to a wider slice of the electorate by emphasising values of equality, compassion and fairness for all, instead of a "narrow focus" on combatting climate change and protecting animals and the environment (which are worth listening to anyways!) Ms Lucas's recent bill proposing a lowering of voter age to 16 certainly enthused me and I hope support for this continues to grow within Parliament; I believe if you are old enough to pay National Insurance, marry, have sex and an abortion then you are mature enough to vote. If not, it's time to start making Political education compulsory alongside Citizenship so every secondary school student understands our system and about the key caveats of our political parties!

All I will say is this; Labour may appear to be an incoherent party "falling apart" to most independent voters at the moment but perhaps when the Leadership election has been concluded and the party tries to unite to against the Tory Cuts to Nursing bursaries or to overturn the draconian Bedroom Tax more independent voters may take a fresh look at what Labour stands for and how they might move forward in creating a more progressive society. After all,  what we are seeing with the Labour party is an attempt at open democracy in action, where party members as well as the Parliamentary Party gets a say in who should take them forward to represent them to motivate people like me to vote for their MP candidate for the next GE. I look forward to seeing what policies my local Labour, Green and Lincolnshire Independent candidate will offer to try and canvass my vote. Let the rhetorical battle commence!