Thoughts from listening to the Bishop Grosseteste University Hustings for Lincoln GE2017

Hustings held at Bishop Grosseteste University on Thursday 25th May 2017. 

Initial speeches:

Caroline Kenyon- Lib Dems:

• Caroline talks about her route into politics; Brexit galvanized her into action by deciding to stand as the Lib Dem PPC for Lincoln.
• Caroline argues that Brexit will change the "tone of Britain" and is an opportunity for people to engage with the political process; "this is your generation's election".
• Caroline refers to a lot of the sentiments she makes in her leaflet- e.g. "Business drives everything".
• Caroline does mention the Lib Dem policy on Brexit very well, including mentioning the key values of "open, tolerance".

Nick Smith (represented by Tony Wells)- UKIP:

• Doesn't like the term "Hard Brexit" but to many Remainers who disapprove of PM May's approach to Brexit, it's the correct term. 
• Positive "guarantee" by UKIP that Brexit wouldn't be "catastrophic" - mentions UKIP's 6 tests for Brexit, including controlling the UK's 200 mile maritime exclusive economic zone and making sure Brexit is completed by 2019. (see more here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2017-40042669). 
• Tony claims UKIP are not against immigration and doesn't want to use the term immigrant because it's a "derogative term"; would use the term "people".

Phil Gray - Independent:

• Need to stop continuing to change the education system every 5 mins; argues that comprehensives can be just as successful as academies and grammar schools. 
• Very empowering and inspirational personal story; a former art teacher who understands the pressures teachers face.
• "Anti-party" candidate...believes that parties have a "vested interest in maintaining themselves" and become "very inward looking" in times of hardship.
• Agrees that Theresa May's Brexit is "Hard" and would prefer a "Soft Brexit"; in facts he believes "Brexit means nothing"! 

Karen Lee- Labour:

• Karen says she has "had enough" of the Conservative Austerity Agenda; rightly identifies that the Conservatives have missed every deficit target they have put in place since they came to power; she says it's "time for change".
• Has a very good grasp of Labour national policy - e.g. the fact that Labour will abolish the bedroom tax and aim to bring in a £10 an hour National Living Wage by 2020.
• Karen wants all kids to be given the chance to attend university and believes abolishing tuition fees is the right step forward to achieve this wish.
• Karen says that reinstatement of training bursaries is a must, pointing out that as a single mum in 2000 she'd have not been able to train without having access to the bursary.
• Karen wants to see a Medical School established in Lincoln.
• Karen says she "fully supports Labour's approach to Brexit and the renewal of the Trident Nuclear Deterrent".
• Karen mentions that she is the first Labour PPC to have been "born and bred in Lincoln since 1930".
• Karen says that the Tories cannot be trusted on the economy or immigration.

Karl McCartney- Conservatives:

• Karl claims that all the previous speakers before him had been "negative" - erm no, Phil Gray got a lot of cheers and laughs from the audience when recounting his person backstory and Karen Lee received a lot of applause at the end of her speech.
• Karl claims that previous speakers only talk about "national issues" but Karen talked about the need to bring a Medical School to Lincoln (that's a local issue!!)
• The "jewel in the crown" statement from your leaflet was a personal opinion and not from an objective survey....OK!
• Karl talks about his transport policy record; yes it's impressive but constituents are still concerned about the number of freight trains coming through the City Centre every day...need to sort that out!
• Karl sees himself as a "liberal Conservative" but I beg to differ based on his voting record! 

Ben Loryman- Greens:

• Ben talks about the need for a long-term vision that is hopeful and positive and we should stand up for our beliefs. 
• Ben believes wholeheartedly (as do I) that Climate Change is REAL- e.g. mentioning that the Arctic has warmed up by 4C and we need to take action now. 

Best first impression: KL. 

Questions:

What would you do to reduce foodbank use in Lincoln. 2,400 children are receiving foodbank parcels in Lincoln:

• CK: Issue of hunger "utterly heartbreaking". Put together a panel to hold a Food Summit on the 9th June if elected; she says she'll use her food contacts to help support foodbanks so volunteers don't need to buy food. I'm shocked that they have to buy food because donations have fallen due to Brexit inflation! Long term would address low-pay that leads to reliance on foodbanks.
• TW: States that Labour City Council should be doing more to support those in poverty (money cut to St Mary's project in Lincoln which helped people in "desperate situations"). Says that the NLW needs to be raised and system needs to be changed so people don't fall through the net.
• PG: Buys food at the "reduced counter" in food stores but states he'd probably have to use a foodbank because his pension isn't much. Need to alter the "overall economic trend" in the UK- stop people getting into debt.
• KL: Labour Council have had to make cuts because of Conservative cuts to local Government funding. Labour would bring in £10 NLW by raising Corporation Tax (raise £20bn?). Abolish zero-hours contracts & abolish benefit-sanctions so people feel more secure.
• KC: Labour answer was "prepared". Bitches about Socialists- says that people are keeping more of their money so need to "manage". CT has been lowered but amount of tax has been increased....hmm...
• BL: Malnutrition cases shouldn't be as prevalent as they are in Lincoln. Low pay needs to be addressed. Areas where Universal Credit (including Lincoln) has been rolled out have seen a huge increase in foodbank use. Need to reduce food waste - change the nature of farmer-supermarket contracts.

Best answer for me: CK. 

What do you plan to do locally to benefit residents over the next 10 years? 

• BL: Wants to look at improving NHS services in Lincoln; has read the House of Lords' plan for Health and Social Care which includes recommendations to create a tailored workforce plan to improve safe staffing levels at Lincoln County Hospital.
• KC: Lincoln's a brilliant place but need to improve transport and infrastructure and make Lincoln more attractive to businesses so that job opportunities are created for graduates as well as school and college leavers. 
• KL: More affordable housing, abolish tuition fees and more investment in utilities  as well as reducing traffic congestion. Supports BL's recommendations on the NHS.
• PG: Investing in children rather than infrastructure. Work towards scrapping Trident and use the money to abolish tuition fees and find ways of supporting children's learning, regardless of whether they want to attend Uni or not.
• TW: Create a medical school in Lincoln which would be located alongside Lincoln County Hospital. Offer an incentive by waiving the last year's tuition fees for medical professionals to encourage them to stay in Lincoln on a two year contract. 
• CK: Can't be complacent about Lincoln. Create a scheme with the University of Lincoln for primary children (Year 3) in areas such as St Giles to inspire and empower them to aspire highly. Wants to attract more businesses to relocate to Lincoln.

Best answer for me: CK.

What will you do to help disabled people in Lincoln?

• TW:Attacks present Conservative Government's attitude to disabled people. Agrees that abuse of the system was right to be addressed but it's a "step too far."
• PG: Talks about "model" adult social care facility Ashley Court (run by the Longhurst Group: https://www.landh.org.uk/care-support/care/ashley-court) for disabled residents in Lincoln which has been rated "Good" in their recent Care Quality Commission inspection in July 2016 (yet their safety required improvement: http://www.nhs.uk/Services/careproviders/Overview/DefaultView.aspx?id=58788). Admits more could be done- e.g. reviewing the benefit changes because at the moment it's target driven.
• KL: Cuts to disability benefits should be reversed. Wealthier people should pay more tax which would provide the money to improve NHS Services. Brexit needs to be done in a "sensible way" and maintain the protections brought in during our membership of the EU.
• KC: EU protections will remain in place and none would be negotiated away. Ensure that carers are looked after (yet Govt won't increase Carers Allowance as Labour have pledged to do) and give them more respite care time so carers can recharge their batteries. Agrees with national policy to allow employees to take unpaid time off to care for disabled dependents. 
• BL: Increase the amount we pay towards Personal Independent Payments; get rid of the Bedroom Tax so that disabled people can still use their spare room for equipment. Change disability assessments; perhaps getting more disabled people involved as assessors as per Adam Hills' suggestions.
• CK: Make changes to the Access To Work Programme to make it easier for disabled people to access the jobs market. Encourage businesses to change their recruitment processes. 

Best answer for me:CK.

We need to improve disabled people's rights. What would you do to stop disabled people from being pitied and to increase respect for them from society in general?

• PG: Heard about new rail footbridge on the Brayford Rail Crossing not having a lift/wheelchair access. Need disabled people to speak up and point out where things need to change.
• KL: Surprised that the new rail footbridge isn't compliant with legislation; would fight to get wheelchair access in place by discussing the issue with City of Lincoln Council.
• KC: Doesn't know how many disabled people there are in Lincoln but will represent them "to the best of his ability". 
• BL: Hopes that society is changing due to the Equality Act 2010 being in place and because of the high profile of the Paralympics and disabled veterans.
• CK: Structural engineers should have understood the needs of disabled people; plans always need to be inclusive of disabled people's needs. Need to respect every disabled person, not just those who are outstanding at sports.
• TW: Times have changed RE societal perceptions and infrastructure changes to allow disabled access (however, TW, disabled football fans still need more wheelchair spaces and ramps in stands!!!) Disabled people need to represent themselves and push for further change. 

Best answer for me:CK. 

What would you do to help RAF personnel in Lincoln?

• KL: Give Armed Force personnel a real living wage with a "proper contract" and build 100,000 more affordable homes a year for 5 years (in addition to those being built by the CC) with a proportion of those houses designated for Armed Force personnel. 
• KC: Labour Government made Armed Force personnel buy their own kit; Conservatives would keep buying the best kit for personnel. "Times have been tough" but the £38bn blackhole needed to be filled and it was.
• BL: Scrap Trident and use some of the money to fund the frontline Armed Force personnel.
• CK: Successive governments have "abused the Armed Forces" a "pitiful rag" of what it used to be. Armed Force cuts have been a disgrace. Support a partial Trident but need more funds for the Armed Forces.
• TW: Need to fund the Armed Forces and should not give up Trident because only France has nuclear weapons and that's to Putin's advantage.
• PG: Agrees with CK that the Armed Forces are demoralised because they have fought "unjust wars". A lot needs to be done to help them when they come back, including sorting out the procurement section of the Ministry of Defence and reduce the reliance on part-time volunteers. 

Best answer for me: KL.

What will you do about school staff redundancies?

• KC: Schools have a budget and the school management team have to decide whether they spend that money on staff or other elements to help deliver the National Curriculum. Any schools that have issues with staffing should contact him if he gets re-elected on June 9th.
• BL: Schools need more investment.
• CK: The Lib Dems have pledged an extra £7bn for education; Brexit can't be used as an excuse for austerity driven measures in schools. Children are the future of the country and need access to a high quality education.
• TW: Have a shortage of teachers so wonders why there staff are being cut. Seems unbelievable.
• PG: Fair Funding Formula means that funding per pupil is reducing (a net reduction in income) and are forced to make staff cuts. Most schools built in the 1990s and 2000s were built using Private Finance Initiative Funding meaning that they are saddled with a large amount of debt. Children shouldn't suffer because of the debt burden.
• KL: Introduce the National Education Service and need more staff to in primary schools to fulfil pledge of class sizes being under 30 for 5, 6 and 7 year olds. Talks about the costings for free breakfast clubs being three times the amount costed from the Conservative manifesto and that makes PM May look "weak and wobbly".

Best answer for me: KL

How would you represent Remain voters of Lincoln (43%)?

• BL: Referendum needed to be held to "clear the air". Hopeful that the Brexit negotiations will allow Leavers and Remainers to come together. Remainers have to understand the frustrations of those who voted to Leave-e.g. public services being squeezed and Leavers need to understand the concerns Remainers have about the negotiation process.
• CK: Need a "Soft Brexit" - Eurosceptic who wanted to Remain but believed that being part of the EU had advantages for us. A Hard Brexit-or "no deal is better than a bad deal" is a terrifying prospect for the country. Cannot walk away from the EU without a deal and need to negotiate in a conciliatory manner. 
• TW: Passionate anti-EU. Believes there will be more jobs for young people. The £350m for the NHS bus was an exaggeration but would be £500m for the UK that could be put into the NHS. We'd be able to negotiate our free trade deals which will help Lincoln.
• PG: Brexit worries me. The General Election was unnecessary- £125m to hold it. PM May is pontificating and slagging off EU leaders and it's no way to begin a negotiation. The referendum result needs to be respected and should be getting on with the process now.
• KL: Very keen to protect the £2.8bn worth of exports made to the EU from the East Midlands annually and protect the 200,000 jobs that depend on those exports. Was a Remainer and need a "Sensible Brexit" - i.e. try and keep close access to the Single Market and Customs Union, protect the rights of EU nationals to remain in the UK and seek reciprocal rights for UK nationals in the EU and keep employment directives, consumer directives and environmental protections. Can't go into the Brexit negotiations like a "playground bully".
• KC: "Some candidates have reverted to type"; blames Remainers for their hostility. We live in a democracy and Remainers must respect the result (someone said they'd ask for a recount if there was 1 vote in it and I completely agree with them :)). Article 50's been invoked so tough luck basically. (I find his attitude reprehensible). 

Best answer for me: KL.

Can you promise not to U-Turn on the policy platforms on which you are standing?

• CK: Judged by her record; been in business over 20 years and has a strong reputation in the area. Has a business relationship with the World Food Programme (United Nations). She's running for office because she believes in her platform. Judge her fairly.
• TW: UKIP are a radical party and they do not U-Turn. "Brexit Means Exit" and will hold Theresa May up to the 6 UKIP Brexit tests. We want the country running on "its own steam".
• PG: Won't U-Turn because he'd offer "strong and stable leadership"- stay independent and remain independent. Represent Lincoln rather the views of a party or a lobby group.
• KL: Proven track record-been a City Councillor for 13 years, was re-elected 4 times and received the highest votes of any City Councillor in the 2016 local elections. Theresa May's record is dire - "very weak and very wobbly".
• KC: Need to be pragmatic; have a little influence on the backbenches (unfortunately)- shouldn't toe the party line and "fight for a minority view". Could trust anyone but bigger game to be played if you're part of a party.
• BL: We live in a democracy and sometimes leaders make a wrong decision and U-Turns are sometimes necessary. 

Best answer for me: CK/KL. 

Sum up:

• BL: Received a lot of emails from constituents who asked BL about Animal Rights. The Hunting Act should not be debated in Parliament and when we replace the Common Agricultural Policy we make sure that farm animal welfare is central to the new policy. There should also be tougher sentences brought in for animal cruelty as per recommendations made by Battersea Cats and Dogs Home (there should be a maximum of 5 years in place for the most serious offences).
• KC: People make their decision based on the Economy (Lincoln's doing quite well), Brexit (need to have a very good deal) and Security of our nation (they'll put the X in the box based on that).
• KL: Make sure you use your vote. Choice between continued austerity or a much fairer country.  Vote to help the many, not the few.
• PG: Choice between Hard Left and Hard Right Brexit. Parties are not working for the people; need to take back control by not leaving the EU entirely. Need to think about the future and have good relations with the EU.
• TW: UKIP has inspired people to get involved in politics because they are fighting against the rigged system. Very happy that Lincoln voted to Leave the EU. Made the right decision.
• CK: Occupying the "Central territory". The Lib Dems have called for a 2nd Referendum on the terms of the Brexit deal: "it started with the people and it should end with the people". 

Best summing-up for me (that talked about an issue not mentioned in the hustings: BL).

Overall:

I learned some very interesting facts about our current candidates (although it was a shame the UKIP PPC couldn't attend the hustings event). I was very pleased to hear  Karen Lee's position on Brexit agree that we must protect the jobs that come from exporting goods to the EU. It seemed to me that Ms Lee had a really good grasp of the Labour manifesto and of current events, criticising PM May for her social care "Dementia Tax" policy and the "Free Breakfast Club" costing shambles. Her answer on disability rights was OK but I'd have liked to have seen her reference Labour's commitment to sign the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities into law which the Conservatives have refused to do and perhaps also reference the fact that "Labour will give British Sign Language full recognition as an official language" but perhaps I'm nitpicking a bit here. 

The answer to the disabled questions in general were a bit lapse except for Caroline Kenyon who talked about the need to expand the Access To Work Programme by encouraging more employers to recruit disabled employees based on their own individual merit. I was also intrigued by Ms Kenyon's 

plans for Lincoln; I'd like to hear more about the plan to create a Food Summit and more about the University of Lincoln's possible Aspiration Programme and to see whether the programme will directly benefit children in my local ward, Birchwood. 

I found Ben Loryman very personable and I was very happy to see Animal Rights get a specific mention (albeit in the summing-up stage of the proceedings). He also sounded very pragmatic on the issue of Brexit and is right that both Remainers and Leavers need to find a way to make a success of Brexit, which includes having our say on the nature of the deal through the holding of a 2nd Referendum. 

I was, however, very disappointed by Karl McCartney, especially on his answers regarding schools, disability rights and Brexit. It's alright that he has a strong transport infrastructure record but he has to ensure that he represents all constituents in Lincoln who care about improving equality in Lincoln. I understand that he is "merely a backbencher" but perhaps I want a Lincoln MP to aspire to having more influence in party policy. It was also lamentable that Mr McCartney couldn't reference manifesto policies in his answers; for example, there is a section in the manifesto that addresses disability rights (e.g "giving employers the advice and support they need to hire and retain disabled people and those with health conditions" p.57 of the manifesto). Mr McCartney was also surprisingly weak on his answer to improving armed forces personnel living conditions in Lincoln. The manifesto talks of "protecting them from persistent legal claims"  and "introduce better compensation for injured armed forces personnel and the families of those killed in combat" (p.41) as well as "investing £178bn in equipment over next decade" (p.41). Constituents may not have read the manifesto so may have benefitted from hearing those policies being made clear at the hustings event, especially considering Mr McCartney talked about the past record of the Conservatives when in coalition with the Lib Dems. 

Tony Wells gave a good account of UKIP's position on Brexit which would please voters who may not trust the Conservatives to deliver on their promises. 

Phil Gray I found an absolute joy to hear and was a real breath of fresh air; he made me laugh but also brought up important points regarding school funding which should be taken on board. 

Generally speaking, it was good to see the issue of the Medical School raised by several candidates and I hope whoever the next MP happens to be will take action to secure funding for the Medical School from the next Government. Foodbanks do need to have funding whilst there is a demand for their services and even more co-operation is needed with the City Council to reduce poverty levels in Lincoln. I did get the impression that Ms Lee and Ms Kenyon would be better at this than Mr McCartney has been and would be in the future. 

As a result of the hustings, I feel my vote is leaning ever so slightly towards Labour. I'm reassured by Ms Lee's ability to express herself eloquently and her track record does indeed speak for itself. Whatever happens on June 9th, I know that I'll have voted for a change candidate.

A Bold & Wide-Ranging LGBTQIA+ Manifesto: My Thoughts on the Green Party GE2017 LGBTQIA+ Manifesto

This morning in Camden, the Green Party became the first political party in the 2017 UK General Election to unveil specific policies to help LGBTQIA+ people in the UK (you can read it for yourself here: https://lgbtiqa.greenparty.org.uk/resources/lgbtiqagreens/downloads/LGBTIQAManifesto2017.pdf). Having gone through it, I must say that I find the policy platform absolutely fantastic, with the Greens keen to take action in areas such as Trans Health, Intersex rights and protecting LGBTQIA+ asylum seekers. It's pretty much exactly the bold kind of reform I want to see take place within the next 5 years and other political parties should take note: the Equality Act 2010, Gender Recognition Act 2004 & Same Sex Marriage may have marked a great step forward LGBT equality wise but it's time to make the necessary legal changes we need to improve the lives of non-binary, intersex, aromantic and asexual people in the UK. Aimee Challenor, LGBTQIA+ Greens Chair and Equalities Spokesperson has done a tremendous job of facilitating and developing the policy platform along with Green Party members. So it's only fair and proper that I outline my thoughts on some of the updated and new policies below.

• The Greens realise that when the economy isn't growing as strongly as expected or when austerity measures have been implemented, LGBTQIA+ services are particularly impacted by usually sharp reductions in local government budgets and health budgets. So I'm really pleased to see a commitment to provide local authorities with funding to be able to protect specialised services. Sexual health clinics in particular need to receive funding so that specific advice and guidance can continue to be offered to young people embarking on same-sex experiences for the first time. As someone who wants to see domestic violence service provision improve and become more accessible to LGBTQIA+ survivors, funding to help facilitate this beyond the current earmarked £20m Conservative fund would be welcome indeed.
• The Civil Partnership Act 2004 does need to amended so that heterosexual couples can have the choice as to whether they have a Civil Partnership ceremony or a marriage ceremony. 
• The Human Rights Act 1998 would be protected in its entirety allowing LGBTQIA+ to continue to express themselves openly in public without fear of being regulated.
• I approve of the idea to pardon 50,000 to 100,000 people who engaged in consensual same-sex activity when anti-sodomy laws were in place; the anti-sodomy laws have now been repealed so it makes perfect sense to pardon those who did absolutely nothing wrong. 
• Improved hate-crime legislation is imperative; we need to look at equalising the length of sentence given to perpetrators so that it sends out a clear message that hate crime of any type will not be tolerated. That includes hate crimes committed against intersex people. The Greens would also improve public awareness of non-binary identities and intersex people to reduce instances of hate crime through education programmes and strengthening HR training in public sector workplaces. 
• We need to look at how to reduce waiting times on the NHS for trans and non-binary people to see specialists at Gender Identity Clinics. This means conducting a review into the effectiveness of NHS services including looking into the viability of expanding the number of GICs across the UK and recruiting more nurses into trans healthcare, including trans and non-binary nurses. 
• Removal of the dreaded Spousal Veto component of the Gender Recognition Act has been a long time coming and I'm glad the Greens have committed to its removal so openly. No married trans person should have to obtain consent from a partner to attain a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC); the current system is also open to female and male DVA perpetrators who can use the Spousal Veto as a form of Coercive Control.
• Self-declaration of gender is what I'd like to see adopted in the UK as standard form of practice. If you can do it in Norway, if our neighbours can do it in Ireland, there is no reason why we can't do it in the UK. Non-binary people shouldn't have to go through a "proof" process just to obtain recognition of their gender identity and obtain a GRC which they cannot do anyway at the moment.  
• The Greens have joined the Lib Dems in calling for X gender markers to be an available option on passports so that non-binary and intersex individuals can use the marker to indicate their gender status. Such a policy is commonsense to me and doesn't lead to any watering down of gender identity as fearmongerers would have voters believe.
• Intersex people deserve to have legal recognition, including within the Equality Act. It makes no sense that trans people who have indicated they may or will go through Gender Reassignment Surgery are protected but intersex people are not. Therefore I welcome the Green Party's suggestion that intersex should be included as a specific protected characteristic.
• Unnecessary sex assignment surgeries conducted on a infant or child which isn't done for valid health reasons should be made a criminal offence. Young people have the right to decide their gender identity and whether they wish to undergo a sex assignment procedure. Young intersex people have the right to receive appropriate information to make an informed decision. So I welcome the Green Party's pledge to make it illegal for a doctor to determine a person's sex when it is inappropriate to do so.
• NHS professionals may need more HR training on how to help intersex patients so it's important that intersex activists work with GPs, nurses and mental health providers as to how individual trusts can deliver the highest quality of patient care and avoiding discriminatory practices.
• I'm incredibly pleased to see that the Green Party wants to see asexuality taught as part of a LGBTQIA+ inclusive Sex and Relationships Education programme which the Greens want to see implemented in an age-appropriate manner from primary school age onwards. Young people need to know that it's not "weird" to have little or no sexual attraction and that the contributions they can make to society are just as valid as anyone else's. Introducing legislation to protect asexual and aromantic people from discrimination and harassment is a must and I look forward to seeing how such proposals would develop and whether any other political parties are prepared to help facilitate development of the legislation regardless of which party ends up in Government on June 9th.
• The Greens want to bring forward the consultation on reducing the blood donation deferral period for men who have sex with men (currently 12 months). All evidence should be reviewed and a decision should be made within the next two years.
• HIV campaigners and organisations such as the Terrence Higgins Trust have pressed the Conservative Government to provide PrEP pills (which help prevent HIV) to everyone who has a high risk of contracting HIV on the NHS for months. NHS Scotland decided to provide PrEP on the 10th April so the NHS in England is lagging embarrassingly behind. I agree with the Greens that PrEP should be made available on the NHS and I'd suggest this should happen within the next 6 months.
• HIV and other Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) should be taught about in all schools so that students remain aware of the risks of engaging in sex without condoms.
• Whilst the Conservative Government has committed to tackling homophobic, biphobic and transphobic (HBT) bullying in schools across the UK by engaging third party organisations to deliver lessons, especially in state schools, it isn't really enough of a positive step forward. Requiring EVERY school to adopt an anti bullying programme that tackles HBT bullying, including faith schools as the Greens has suggested would help to foster a culture of tolerance and compassion towards students and staff, regardless of their gender identity or sexual orientation. 
• Teachers should have the knowledge and skills they need to fully support their LGBTQIA+ students. This could be provided by creating specific training modules to be delivered during PGCE courses and updates courses for qualified teachers from qualified HR and L&D professionals  would help teachers feel able to provide support to LGBTQIA+ students in a compassionate way.
• Sports organisations need to continue towards making sport more accessible for LGBTQIA+ people, especially at grassroots level. That includes looking at changing facility provision, addressing HBT verbal bullying and investing in HR training for all sports club staff. 
• As I've argued in previous blogposts, we need to do more to help protect LGBTQIA+ asylum seekers and refugees in the UK. The Conservatives haven't really addressed the issue satisfactorily whilst they've been in Government and I believe that change to the asylum system is needed now so that it is truly fair to LGBTQIA+ asylum seekers. I welcome the Greens' suggestion that "a moratorium on deportation for LGBTQIA+ refugees" is necessary; it's not fair to deport them whilst a review of the system is taking place. I also agree that refugees shouldn't have to be accommodated in detention centres whilst their claims go through processing procedures and should be able to find work during that time period. Why deny someone the opportunity to find work if they have skills that could be used to help benefit the UK economy? 
• Refugees should have access to legal aid and the legal aid system needs to be properly funded anyways and protected from further cuts. 
• Border control systems definitely need to be reformed and I welcome the Greens' suggestion that the next Government should fully implement the recommendations made by John Vine (former Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration). Border agents do need equality training so they avoid asking sexually-explicit questions that could cause more distress to refugees and asylum seekers who may have been subjected to rape before fleeing their home or during their journey to the UK. 
• The Conservatives continue to claim that they have continued to advocate for LGBTQIA+ rights abroad. It's true that British Consulates have been used as venues for couples who wish to have a same-sex marriage (notably in Australia) but Theresa May hasn't publicly condemned the actions of Kaydrov in Chechnya (where openly gay and bi men are being illegally detained, tortured and murdered). The Greens believe that we need to continue sending a strong message of tolerance and acceptance to countries around the world. That's why I think that the UK should be bold enough to use the International Court of Justice and International Criminal Court to prosecute the Chechen regime for human rights abuses and prosecute other regimes for willful discrimination against their LGBTQIA+ citizens. I'd like to see the UK work with its international partners and defy Russia by asking for specific sanctions against the Chechen regime and the Russian Government for failing to take position action to prevent further atrocities from being committed. We should also urge all Commonwealth countries to follow the UK's lead and decriminalise homosexuality and bring in anti-discrimination laws to protect LGBTQIA+ people.

The Green Party has set down the gauntlet for other political parties in this General Election cycle when it comes to improving LGBTQIA+ rights. It's time for positive, substantive change, especially in relation to establishing the first comprehensive legal rights for intersex and asexual and aromantic people. The plan will help LGBTQIA+ people regardless of their social background, including their legal status to remain in the UK, something that those on the right (especially the populist far right) seem adamant not to address. They may show concern for gay people being thrown off buildings in Syria but should they dare come to the UK seeking asylum and their first response is to deport them. That's not type of response that I want to see as part of a compassionate, progressive, liberal UK. One that recognises that we need to change cultural attitudes to help others live more fulfilling, positive lives. Making LGBTQIA+ SRE compulsory in schools, making PrEP avaliable to help prevent new cases of HIV, being able to take strong action on Chechnya. Those are the sorts of policy actions needed to fulfill a vision of the UK I envisage for us, regardless of whether Brexit ends up happening or not. 

I can't wait to see what LGBTQIA+ policies will be proposed by Labour and the Lib Dems but I wonder whether they will be as bold as the policy platform laid out by Aimee and the Green Party today. I give this Green Party manifesto 2 very big thumbs up. 

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