GE2019: Q&A with the candidates for the North Durham seat

Kevan Jones (Labour)

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

Jobs- We need support from Government to drive investment and to grow the local economy.

Welfare- In North Durham, unemployment is on the rise, disabled people are having to wait 18 months to be able to dispute their benefits being cut and working families are being left behind. We need fundamental change and a fair system that provides support to those who need it.

Public Services - Police, Fire, Schools, Local Councils and the NHS have all been massively cut since 2010. North Durham needs properly funded public services.

If elected, I will be a strong voice for North Durham and fight for investment in Stanley, Chester-le-Street and our villages.

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

Those calling for a ‘Clean-Break Brexit’ mean a No-Deal Brexit, which would be disastrous for the jobs and livelihoods of people in North Durham. As in the 2017 General Election, I will continue to oppose this. Those now using the slogan ‘Get Brexit Done’ need to be honest with the electorate that the Deal on offer now, if agreed, is just the start of the process. They need to spell out what our future trading relationship with Europe will look like. For me, any Deal must protect our tariff-free access to Europe and preserve our current Policing and Security relationships.

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

With an ageing population, the demands on our public services are going to increase. The last 10 years of austerity has meant not just poorer services, but a fragmented system which has led to inefficiencies. Most people I have spoken to in this campaign want properly funded services, but also want to ensure that the system is fair, and that the taxes they pay are not being avoided by people who can well afford to pay.

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

Simplistic promises about reviving high streets are not going to change peoples’ modern shopping habits. What we need to do is to get people to start living in our town centres again. This needs the powers and resources to be given to local Councils, and for them to work with local people in order to achieve this. Making them vibrant and pleasant places to live will attract local businesses, in addition we must ensure that large online retailers pay a fair amount of tax in the UK to ensure that local shops are not at a disadvantage.

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

The Northern Powerhouse is a Conservative soundbite without any real substance, which does little to recognise the existence of an economy north of Leeds and Manchester. If the Government were serious about supporting the North East economy, they would restore the hundreds of millions that have been taken from northern councils since 2010. We need to move away from discussions around structures such as elected mayors and put in place a Development Agency for the North with resources and real powers to work with the public and private sector across the Region.

Ken Rollings (Independent)

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

A. Shotley Bridge Hospital, saving 16 beds, we need to ensure central government provides funds to ensure this nearby NHS service can continue.

B. Mental Health, encourage more social responsibility, teaching awareness of Dementia and Autism to local residents, Businesses and Academy age children.

C. Universal Credit, Push for the system to be improved i.e.. less sanctions and Payment waiting times, promotion of more training leading to employment and work ethic.

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

I am the Original North Durham Leaver, we want No Political Alignment with the EU, Leaving Customs Union, Single Market and the jurisdiction of the ECJ. As collectively stated by the PM, David Cameron and most prominent Remainers and Leavers during the referendum. There are already multiple continuity deals signed, Theresa May's Surrender treaty was a disgrace to democracy, Boris Johnson's is the same Treaty with the dry crust scraped off.

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

Throwing money at the NHS or any other public service will not save it, limiting the use of Pharmaceutical drugs which are merely symptom suppressors, efficient procurement i.e don't pay £16 for a pack of plastic cups when the equivalent can normally be bought in a £1 shop. Those entering the country should have their own medical insurance until they have worked and paid into the system for a reasonable number of years. Allow MP's and LA counselors an initiative fund to spend in their own wards and constituencies. so all areas of the countries see improvements.

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

Encourage the use of local business, enlighten residents to the benefits of using Small, medium and family run local shops and how they benefit the local community as a whole in Employment and regeneration.

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

The Northern Powerhouse needs to be reconstructed, getting more involvement from the grassroots community such as Town and parish councils rather than just the distant planners and hierarchy of Government organisations whom won't normally experience the real effects of local infrastructure.

Edward Parson (Conservative)

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

Firstly, we must deliver Brexit - like North Durham, I voted for Leave and pledge to deliver Brexit in Parliament, by voting through Boris’ deal. Once Brexit is done, a Conservative Government can then fully focus on important national matters which need urgent attention. I would campaign for North Durham to benefit from the exciting proposals that a new Conservative Government promises to deliver. This includes:

- Better and more frequent mainline rail transport through £48bn budgeted for upgrades to our rail system

- Maximising job opportunities through training and reskilling, utilising the new £3bn National Skills Fund

- Tackling crime and anti-social behaviour with more community policing, drawing on the additional 20,000 Police Officers being hired across the country

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

I campaigned and voted to leave the EU. As someone who has worked in business, I believe Britain can make a success of Brexit, when freed from the EU’s rules and regulations, such as uncontrolled immigration. I’m excited by the opportunities that Brexit will bring. and believe the North East will stand to benefit from Britain’s new global position. We must honour the will of the people, and respect the result of the referendum - a Conservative Government will deliver Brexit by January 2020, allowing us to move on with an exciting agenda in the years ahead.

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

The Conservative Party is clear in its manifesto that the NHS should be strengthened and protected. This is why the Conservative Government is building 40 new hospitals, providing 50,000 more nurses, and giving the NHS the biggest cash boost in its history. Equally, we have pledged that the NHS will be non negotiable in any hypothetical trade deal following Brexit. These investments will come with a triple lock on tax rises, meaning neither Income Tax, nor VAT, nor National Insurance will rise. It is because of the Conservatives’ careful management of the economy in previous years, that we are in a position to unlock investment in our key public services, whilst keeping taxes low.

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

Our High Streets are the beating heart of any community, and this must be recognised beyond any commercial value. In the context of Labour Party pledges to raise taxes for small business, the Conservative Party has cut Corporation Tax, and supported small business with £13bn of business rates relief. These measures have helped save 90% of high street shops up to £8,000 per year - but we will go further in supporting local traders set up and expand. As we leave the EU, we can help businesses thrive by making Britain the best place in the world to start and grow a business through innovative measures, such as our proposed creation of 10 new Freeports. I will champion initiatives such as these, to help make North Durham high streets the community hubs that they once were.

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

Key to unlocking the enormous potential of the North, is making the right investments in transport and connectivity infrastructure, to allow Northern towns and cities to trade and interact with the rest of the UK, on level pegging with the south of England. These investments are already being made - for example, the Conservatives are prioritising 5G and gigabit broadband investment, and building a new Manchester-Leeds rail route, which is just the first stage of a Northern Powerhouse rail programme. Another vital element of the Northern Powerhouse is making sure people have access to the right skills and training - this will create more jobs and better productivity, in allowing everyone to work in a job which they truly enjoy.

Derek Morse (Green Party)

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

There is one overwhelming issue that we all face and that is the Climate Crisis. It is no use “kicking the can down the road” with vague platitudes of action by 2030 or 2050. What is needed is massive action now. We must radically change electricity generation, our economy, and transport. All other issues pale into insignificance if we cannot act now to ensure our survival.

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

Having in 2016 embarked on a highly dubious referendum with only two polarised options - Leave or Remain - it is hardly surprising that a campaign of lies and fear resulted in a near 50/50 split. Greens favour Remain for our economic wellbeing, international security and environmental co-operation. If we leave the EU many people will lose their jobs and the country will become poorer. Now so much is clearer, a second referendum is the democratic way to resolve the Brexit issue.

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

Yes, but according to their means. More importantly huge Corporations and businesses that pay little or no tax should be compelled to pay their fair share.

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

Give local councils the power and means to encourage new and existing high street businesses including zero rating. Also council’s could make the High Street a much more attractive destination for people. With more trees and seating, less traffic and air pollution.

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

A Regional citizen’s assembly to bring new thinking into play. Business as usual will not work. We need to Green the economy.

Peter Telford (Brexit Party)

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

Three key local issues in order are:

A. crime

B. lack of good jobs for the young

C. the young cannot get on the housing property ladder

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

Leave and Leave now on WTO. Clean Break.

A. further delay = denial of the democratic vote

B. further delay costs money - £20 per week per pensioner - £50 million per year per constituency and

C. further delay costs job - EU Procurement Rules mean we lose 1800 RFA Fleet build jobs to Spain, Rail build jobs from Hitachi to Spain, NHS services are being privatised to the EU by us staying in the EU and having to put all contracts out to tender.

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

No need to if we implement leaner management by creating one NHS for the whole of the UK (5000 staff alone in NHS England, over 200 English areas for i. Clinical Commissioning Groups, ii. Integrated Care Communities, iii. Primary Care Networks - to name but 4 different strands of management), massively reduce these local management areas from over 200 in England alone, standardise across the whole UK procurement of equipment, services and drugs (price ranges for some drugs ,dependent upon who in the NHS purchased them, from £5 to £245) and by removing the monopoly on the number of doctors who qualify from the GMC and BMA. In Social Care, (the "cinderella") we can see returns on investment by reducing the number of emergency admissions to hospitals.

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

Brexit Party can relieve the strain on local shops by reducing to zero the rates on high street shops, putting a small tax on internet providers of goods. Locally in Chester le Street, ensuring no car parking charges for shoppers. However, this is a change which happened in the USA and now France ahead of us and is to do with changing customer preferences. Hence make the High Street a focal point through other means which involve history, music, dance, entertainment, social events. These are "whole experience" remedies, which have to work together to have the desired effect.

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

It needs the Brexit Party. It needs money. The North East would get the largest share of the £200 Billion we would allocate from cancelling the HS2 and HS3, not pay the £39 Billion, not give away £7 Billion to the EIB, not guarantee the £500 Billion to the EIB if it goes bankrupt, reduce by 50% the money sent without audit to foregin aid. Labour and Conservatives have both failed to deliver on repeated promises. Labour are no longer the party of the working man. The Conservatives do not care about anything north of Leeds.

We are still waiting for a response from Liberal Democrat member Craig Martin, any response that we may get will be added as soon as we receive it.