TheKingtonParishes

We welcomed more than 100 members of the public at our GENERAL ELECTION HUSTINGS EVENT at St Mary's Church, Kington, on Tuesday 27 April at 7.30pm.

All the candidates attended:

Lucy Hurds (Liberal Democrat)
John King (Independent)
Felicity Norman (Green)
Jonathan Oakton (UKIP)
Neil Sabharwal (Labour)
Bill Wiggin (Conservative)

The questions, which in nearly every case were put to the candidates by those who had submitted them, were:

1. For several years climate change has been causing concern nationally and worldwide. What is your view on climate change and how would you help our society to become better stewards of our environment?
2. How would you clean up Parliament after the expenses scandal?
3. Farming and the industries supporting agriculture are a vital part of the economy of this constituency, but farmers have found it increasingly difficult to make a living over the past years. What will the candidates do to support farming and the rural economy?
4. The head of Herefordshire and Worcestershire Fire Service has just retired, aged 50, with a tax-free lump sum of approximately £380,000, and a pension of approximately £60,000 for life – index-linked. Are you happy with this state of affairs? If not, what would you do about it?
5. After fifty years of legislation to protect the rights of minorities defined by race, gender or lifestyle, has the time now come to extend this protection to cover religious conscience, and what revision of the law would be appropriate?
6. What do you see as the main problems facing this constituency and what do you propose to do about them?
7. Did you come to this meeting by public transport? If so, why? If not, why not?

The evening was a great success and very enlightening, and certainly helped to inform all who attended, enabling them to exercise their democratic duty more effectively. Our only regret that it was impossible to cover all the questions which were submitted - there were some excellent ones which had to be excluded through lack of time.