FIVE of the Derbyshire Dales parliamentary candidates were in town on Monday night for an election forum organised by Ashbourne Churches Together.
Conservative Patrick McLoughlin, Labour’s Colin Swindell, Liberal Democrat Joe Naitta, UKIP’s Ian Guiver, and Josh Stockell representing The Green Party were at Ashbourne Methodist Church, in Church Street, as part of a traditional hustings meeting.
Around 100 people, young and old, sat and listened to the candidates as they took it in turns to answer questions submitted by the audience.
Chairman Chris Short, of St Oswald’s Church, ensured all of the candidates got an equal amount of time to have their say.
To start the forum, each speaker had three minutes to introduce themselves.
Mr McLoughlin said the country needs a change of direction and government. Mr Swindell said it was the first time he had stood for parliament and it would be an honour if he was elected. Mr Stockell said The Green Party has a vision for a fairer society. Mr Guiver said it was his first time standing for election and the country needs change from the three main parties.
Mr Naitta said his party believes in putting power back in people’s hands where possible.
The men then took questions focused on affordable housing in rural areas, helping the farming community, international trade, the amount of MPs needed to run the country, the erosion of civil liberties, ID cards, climate change, a new Ashbourne bypass, adequate and fair care for the elderly, national debt and the likelihood or consequences of a hung parliament.
The creation of a new bypass is a topic which has been a talking point in the town for years.
Mr McLoughlin said: “I feel, at the moment, we are not entering a road building programme, as a nation, because of the finances we suffer from so I think it may be some time, but I won’t stop campaigning for it because I think it will make a huge difference.”
Mr Stockell said: “You can probably guess, we are not in favour of that, we would put money into improving public transport.”
Mr Naitta said: “I think it is something you need to have a cross party agreement on in order to get things achieved, but I think there will be people for it and people against it.”
Mr Guiver said: “They can be a mixed blessing, because one of the things that often happens is you build a bypass and before you know where you are they have filled the gap in between the bypass and the town and suddenly there are 500 more houses in the town.”
Mr Swindell said: “The vast majority of people I have spoken to are very much in favour of it and after driving through Ashbourne a number of times in the last few weeks I am beginning to feel that way too.”
