We asked the candidates for the Bishop Auckland seat five questions to help you decide who to vote for and here's how they responded.

Helen Goodman (Labour)

The Northern Echo:

1) What are three local issues facing your constituency, and how would you address them?

The three top issues are the NHS, the cost of living and jobs. Labour is promising the NHS £40bn cash to stop the closing of stroke rehabilitation wards in Bishop, reopen a ward at the Richardson, cut GP waiting times and improve mental health support. Under the Tories, people are £800 worse off. Labour will cut energy bills, cap rents, introduce free school meals for all 5-11 year olds and end prescription charges. We need more good high skill jobs through a Green Industrial Revolution, backing new technology, electric vehicles, energy efficiency in housing and Durham’s own geothermal resources.

2) Leave, remain or second referendum - what is your stance on Brexit, and why?

A People’s Vote would resolve Brexit quickly. A People’s Vote gives people the chance to decide the sort of future relationship with Europe. The PMs claim that he will ‘get Brexit done’ is misleading – because he cannot say if we will leave on No Deal in 13 months’ time, bringing medicine shortages, food price rises and disaster for farming and manufacturing. Many people in Bishop have told me that they want to keep the economic ties in a common market style arrangement. Of course, 40% want to remain. So this is the concrete choice Labour’s public vote would offer.

3) Should people be prepared to pay additional tax to fund improvements in public services, like the NHS?

I believe the NHS should be free at the point of use, not follow a US model. Over the past 9 years, the Tories have cut over £90bn from taxes paid by wealthy people including inheritance tax for millionaires. The internet giants are not paying their share. For example last year, Facebook paid only £28m in corporation tax despite achieving a record £1.6bn in UK sales. I changed the law to end the secrecy in overseas tax havens where the rich stash their cash. So Labour can promise that income tax and National Insurance will not go up for those earning under £80,000 a year.

4) High streets are struggling - what would you do to rescue them?

High Streets are a national and local problem. We should tax the internet giants like Amazon and reform business rates for shops to level the playing field, restore the 3,000 bus routes cut and put a legal obligation on banks to keep branches open. Locally, I started the campaign to keep the Zurbarans at Auckland Castle where I was a Trustee for 4 years. The Bishop model for heritage-led regeneration can be applied in Shildon where Locomotion will expand in the run up to the 1825 celebrations. Spennymoor has been difficult because Festival Walk is privately owned, but its got planning permission now!

5) What does the Northern Powerhouse need to make it work?

As its name suggests, the Northern Powerhouse needs power and money. Labour’s proposal to shift decisions about the North to the North is the first radical step in the right direction. People who are committed to the North East and understand it will take better decisions. A regional development bank is essential to support the private sector. Improved infrastructure – broadband and east-west connectivity are essential. Success is built on collaboration with our excellent universities – Thorns with Netpark; Glaxo with Newcastle; Geothermal with Durham. So we should give our young people the education and apprenticeships to take advantage of the opportunities.

Nick Brown (Brexit Party)

The Northern Echo:

1) What are three local issues facing your constituency, and how would you address them?

The overriding local issue is a discussion taking place across the country; the question about the relationship between a constituency MP and their constituents with Brexit highlighting our incumbent MP’s voting record and it’s disconnect with the majority of voters in the Bishop Auckland constituency. If elected I intend to definitively answer this question by pledging to vote in Westminster solely according to the wishes of constituents rather than based on my own beliefs. I will make available an app allowing local voters to easily indicate their preferred stance on single issues due to be voted on. Once a quorum has been reached I will then vote accordingly.

2) Leave, remain or second referendum - what is your stance on Brexit, and why?

The Brexit Party are the only party honouring the result of the referendum. The Conservative Prime Minister is proposing a new EU treaty which keeps the UK under the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice, hands over an unknown sum which current estimates place at a value greater than £50 Billion (that’s 2 million nurses on a salary of £25K each) and keeps UK coastal waters as a shared EU resource to be fished by 27 other countries.

3) Should people be prepared to pay additional tax to fund improvements in public services, like the NHS?

In order to fund improvements in public services like the NHS, the Brexit Party propose to raise £200bn by scrapping HS2, keeping the £13bn annual EU contribution, recovering our £7bn from the European Investment Bank and redirecting 50% of the foreign aid budget (which equates to £40bn over a five-year term). The Brexit Party believes in continued investment in the NHS, better management, increasing the number of medical staff and cutting waste. We support investment in medical research and development and will stop the taxpayer being ripped off by pharmaceutical companies.

4) High streets are struggling - what would you do to rescue them?

Alongside our reforms to Corporation Tax, we will replace business rates with a simpler system to assist small High Street retailers and leisure operators outside the M25, with any reductions funded by an online sales tax.

5) What does the Northern Powerhouse need to make it work?

The Brexit Party is proposing to massively ease the tax and administrative burden for many of the family businesses that populate our high streets by introducing a zero-rate of Corporation Tax for the first £10,000 of pre-tax profits, much like the personal allowance in an individual’s tax affairs. 66% of the total number of UK businesses (1 million companies) pay less than £10,000 in Corporation Tax meaning businesses will enjoy increased returns on their labour and avoid supplementary costs like those of an accountant whilst reducing the UK tax intake by a relatively small amount (6%).

Dehenna Davison (Conservative)

The Northern Echo:

1) What are three local issues facing your constituency, and how would you address them?

Based on your feedback, my priorities are: local healthcare, high streets, and youth employment.

On healthcare, I am fighting to bring back our A&E at Bishop Auckland Hospital. I will also fight to stop any more services being removed from there or the Richardson.

On High Streets, I welcome the Government’s £25 million funding pot for Bishop Auckland and will help lead the bid to improve our town. I will then fight for the next funds to come to Spennymoor.

On youth employment, I will hold quarterly jobs fairs targeted towards young people to help them discover new career opportunities.

2) Leave, remain or second referendum - what is your stance on Brexit, and why?

Leave. I voted Leave, Bishop Auckland constituency voted Leave, and our country voted Leave. We must deliver on the result. If elected, I will 100% back the Prime Minster to pass his Deal before Christmas.

3) Should people be prepared to pay additional tax to fund improvements in public services, like the NHS?

I believe in low taxes, as I think individuals know better how to spend their money than politicians do. I’m standing on a manifesto that will protect local residents against any rises in income tax, VAT, and national insurance. Despite not raising taxes, due to our sound management of the economy over the past nine years, we are still going to invest more in our NHS, in our schools, and in our public services without it hitting the pockets of ordinary taxpayers.

4) High streets are struggling - what would you do to rescue them?

I’ve highlighted our high streets as one of my key priorities. First, I think we need a big local review of what local residents, businesses, and stakeholders think should be done with our high streets. As politicians, we need to stop assuming we know best! Then, based on your feedback, I will take action to fight for revitalisation to bring the heart back to our high streets, be it in Bishop, Barnard Castle Spennymoor, or Shildon. I am also proud that a Conservative Government will reduce business rates for half a million small businesses, including shops and pubs.

5) What does the Northern Powerhouse need to make it work?

I think the key is allowing Northerners to set the destiny of our own future. Through devolution in the Tees Valley and the election of Ben Houchen as Mayor, the amount of investment in the Tees Valley has been incredible. I want to see further devolution here in the north to allow us to choose our own local champions who will fight for the best for our region. Looking at national policy, the Government is absolutely right to prioritise investment in Northern Powerhouse Rail and I will fight to improve our transport links right across the constituency and the region.

Ray Georgeson (Liberal Democrats

The Northern Echo:

1) What are three local issues facing your constituency, and how would you address them?

Inadequate social care provision for an aging population is needed in Bishop Auckland, the Liberal Democrats have made a clear commitment to invest based on the Remain bonus available for investment when we Stop Brexit. Insensitive and uncaring planning decisions by Durham CC are an issue, especially on housing developments. As MP, my voice would be heard loudly when inappropriate and poor planning applications come forward. Treatment of Teaching Assistants is another issued which comes up, investment in training and better working conditions through our £10bn injection into education will address this and much more.

2) Leave, remain or second referendum - what is your stance on Brexit, and why?

Liberal Democrats position is clear and unequivocal. We are the party of Remain, we believe Britain’s place should be in Europe and our economy will be stronger if we stay. A Liberal Democrat Government will revoke Article 50 on Day One and we will get to work on the investments needed to build a brighter future for Britain. If the election produces a different result, all our efforts will go on securing a Peoples’ Vote which needs to be the final say on the ‘deal’ with Remain as an option.

3) Should people be prepared to pay additional tax to fund improvements in public services, like the NHS?

People support clarity on where and how their taxes are spent. The Liberal Democrats’ manifesto commits a £7.7bn injection into the NHS and social care through a 1p rise in income tax, clearly earmarked for this investment. Much of our urgently needed investment in public services and infrastructure will be funded through borrowing and through the £50bn Remain bonus available to the nation if we Stop Brexit and spend that money wisely rather than propping up a failing economy damaged by the impact of Brexit.

4) High streets are struggling - what would you do to rescue them?

High streets need to evolve for the modern world of online shopping, which seems irreversible. This requires investment and we will expand the Future High Streets Fund. We will reform Business Rates and introduce a Commercial Landowner Levy that places the burden of local business tax on the property owner, not the SME, small trader or shop owner. My own experience is that getting all interested parties together, local Chambers, community, church, sporting and cultural groups and Town/Parishes can really energise change – local experts know best how to add vibrancy to the High Street and attract visitors for more than shopping.

5) What does the Northern Powerhouse need to make it work?

For a start, the Northern Powerhouse needs to properly embrace the needs of the North East, not just the Leeds-Manchester axis, however important that is. Our Regional Rebalancing Programme £50bn capital fund will properly tackle regional inequality in investment, with additional devolved powers to local councils to kickstart proper devolution. The climate emergency needs to be a priority too, with the acceleration of the move to renewable energy and greener skilled jobs which can benefit the North East alongside a Just Transition Fund that supports communities that might be affected where energy intensive industry is in transition.