As the Scottish National Party promises to gain a fair deal for the North-East, Katie Richardson asks shoppers in Bishop Auckland what they think of the SNP

EVERYTHING seems better when the sun is out but the glorious weather did not temper the views of shoppers in Bishop Auckland town centre today when asked about the general election.

When discussing whether the Scottish National Party (SNP) were a force for good in the North-East following Nicola Sturgeon’s success north of the border and her party’s pledge to get a fairer deal for the region they did not hold back.

Shoppers expressed conflicting views of the SNP, once they got over their confusion of being questioned about a Scottish party in England.

Bishop Auckland resident, Elizabeth Ward, said she thought the SNP would bring benefits to the region.

“I just like the way they talk, they seem to have got their heads screwed on and the others are just the same old thing, they just want for themselves and not for the country,” she said.

“We are an island and we are sinking – the Conservatives do nothing for up North and Labour seems to be the same.”

Teacher, Linda Dykes, also backed the party as she thought our Scottish neighbours had more in common with the North-East than the Westminster parties.

She said: “I do think the SNP could be a force for good because we have got more in common with the Scottish than we do with London and I do think they would probably be a better voice for us.”

Valerie Hardy, meanwhile, said women voters could identify with Mrs Sturgeon.

“She’s got confidence and she’s a lady which is what mums want,” she said.

Alasdair Wats, however, did not share the same view and branded Mrs Sturgeon a “crank”.

“She’s got a hidden agenda, she’s a pure nationalist and there’s nothing worse,” he said.

“She will lose thousands of jobs in her country if she cuts Trident – she’s a crank.”

Eighteen-year-old university student, Scarlett Grieves, said she didn’t have much faith in any of the parties.

“They all promise they are going to do something for the North-East but they never do it’s always down south that get it and we get forgotten about,” she said.

Another shopper said: “I don’t think it will be a force for good but I do think it will be a force.

“Bishop Auckland is a Labour stronghold and we get inundated from Tony Blair’s time – Helen Goodman is absolutely useless though when she goes visiting Ingleton and talks about Ingleton in North Yorkshire – why can’t we have our own people who know what’s going on in Bishop Auckland? Labour is scandalous.”

Other issues that concerned shoppers included immigration, tuition fees and education.

Miss Grieves said she had had to move back home because she couldn’t afford to live at university.

“They all promise to bring tuition fees down but they haven’t and now I have had to move back home because I could not afford to live out,” she said.

“I think as a young person, especially as it’s my first time to vote, we want to know what they are going to do for us and our generation as we are the future voters.”

Ms Dykes was concerned about education and the pressure on teachers.

“I do think all the governments so far have been bad for listening to teachers and the goal posts are constantly changing which is not good for teachers or the children,” she said.

Mr Wats was also concerned about immigration, saying: “Our country let the floodgates open and you have to be sensible but we don’t seem to have that.”

CANDIDATES

Conservative: Christopher Adams

Mr Adams grew up in Barton, near Richmond, and went on to study Classics at Oxford University before training as a management consultant.

He is currently building an online businesses, while also advising some of the biggest firms in Britain.

UKIP: Rhys Burriss

Mr Burriss grew up in the Midlands and went on to read Modern Languages at Oxford University.

He then became Deputy Chief Clerk in Inner London before taking up a role as Clerk to the Justices in County Durham and more recently, Senior/Resident Magistrate in Montserrat and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Labour: Helen Goodman

Born in Nottingham and bred in Derbyshire, Mrs Goodman has served as MP for Bishop Auckland since 2005.

The mum-of-two read politics, philosophy and economics at Oxford university and is a trustee for the Auckland Castle Trust and a Friend of the Bowes Museum.

Green Party: Thom Robinson

Mr Robinson was born and bred in the constituency and has served as a town councillor in Barnard Castle for several years.

The self-employed father-of-one is also the Green Party coordinator for County Durham and works in horticulture and arboriculture.

Liberal Democrats: Stephen White

Mr White graduated at Lancaster University in Economics and Politics and spent most of his career working in the voluntary sector at Alzheimer’s, Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) and the Teacher’s Support Network in London.

He was also Director of Fundraising for CPRE and Head of Fundraising at TSN before leaving to set up his own business.

Constituency profile

Bishop Auckland is an enormous constituency which covers both the town and the surrounding countryside and villages. The traditional industry of coal mining means it is usually a solid Labour result but in recent years, Helen Goodman’s majority has declined with Labour winning with only 39 per cent of the vote in 2010.