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

Martin Walker (Brexit Party)

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

Jobs – Bring investment and jobs into Stockton North. Work with existing businesses and support new ones to remove barriers to success and ensure a sustainable future and continued growth that produces more, high paid jobs.

Education – Ensure none of our children are left behind by the system and that they are equipped to succeed with learning through traditional academic study, alternative education or apprentices so that they are in the best position to start work and build a future coupled with a need to give them something to do to tackle anti-social behaviour.

Homelessness – Work in a cross party alliance to tackle homelessness.

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

Leave! Firstly there is no single more important issue than democracy. Generations have fought and died for us to have it and to disregard it and their sacrifice is an appalling stance to take but secondly it allows us in the North and Teesside to change our future and take advantage of not only the growth to business but also the ability to make the cost of living cheaper and close the horrendous statistic that men in Stockton on average die 20 years younger than in other parts of the U.K because of poverty.

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

No, There is no need to do this. With better management and control we don’t need additional funds from working peoples tax, when you then add a clean-break Brexit we have all the financial resources we need to make massive improvements across all areas. The only extra thing needed is competent people to deliver it and this is why the Brexit Party Candidates are successful professionals and not career politicians. A Common sense approach and strategy is needed, it is why both the Labour and Conservative parties have had to continually steal our policies over the last few months.

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

The Brexit Party have said for months Zero Business rates outside M25 and a 5% internet Sale Tax to offset this. I personally built a career in retail and know the opportunities that we have in Stockton North to rejuvenate our towns across the constituency are huge. We can create a competitive high streets filled with new local businesses to really bring prosperity to the area once we leave the E.U. I think people will be amazed at what our towns will look like in 5 years if I’m elected as this is something I am hugely passionate about.

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

It needs freedom. Removing barriers and the almost seven fold increase in market size after leaving the E.U for businesses will allow for huge growth and sustainability. It also needs the coming together of everyone to strategize and work together in the same direction. For me personally I will work with anyone if its in the interest of my constituents, no party politics and political football I want to be judged on results and I will work with anyone to bring positive change to Stockton North.

Aidan King (Liberal Democrats)

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

A. The threat of further job losses due to Brexit in traditional industrial companies. Very apt that Boris Johnson visited and expert in fabrication on his visit to Teesside.

B. Ongoing uncertainty about which hospitals should be replaced and rebuilt.

C. Pending proposal to dump radioactive waste in seal sands near port Clarence, I would oppose this.

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

Remain, to make Stockton richer £50Bn Brexit dividend to protect Jobs. To stop our NHS from being sold off by the three stooges: Farage, Johnson and Trump to their US pay masters. To keep Britain together and stop another Scottish leave referendum. Stop Brexit.

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

I believe in our NHS as a Doctor who has completed part of my training at North Tees Hospital and having my two sons born in the NHS with my right hand reconstructed by the NHS as a teenager I believe 1p extra on income tax is worth paying to secure the future of our NHS and social care.

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

The liberal Democrats will abolish business rates and replace it with a commercial land tax paid by land owners not business owners. Reducing tax burden on Stockton and Billingham high streets by 20%.

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

Serious investment in in public transport and infrastructure for the north. The northeast (£220) needs funding to match per head funding with London (£1940) and the powers to develop projects away from the delays of Westminster. Our great stations and pacer trains of the northeast are dilapidated time to build a brighter future.

Steven Jackson (Conservative)

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

Firstly, we need to protect and improve our public services, in particular securing further investment for North Tees Hospital and making sure our area gets its fair share of the 20,000 new Police Officers. Secondly, we must ensure that our economy continues to grow by supporting our fantastic local businesses and investing in clean energy to protect our planet and create more jobs. Thirdly, we must stay connected by maintaining and improving our transport links, our Teesside Mayor Ben Houchen has shown the importance of this with his successful campaign to save Teesside Airport.

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

It has always been my view that we have to get Brexit done so we can start to focus on other important issues, such as Education, the NHS and the economy. Two thirds of the residents in Stockton North voted for Brexit, they deserve an MP who will respect that vote and ensure we leave the EU, not attempt to block it at every opportunity.

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

I want to see an economy where everyone pays their fair share towards public services. Under the Conservatives the top 1% of tax payers contribute nearly 30% of all income tax, while we have taken the lowest paid out of income tax entirely. This has allowed us to pledge to invest more in essential public services. The best way to ensure extra money for public services is to have a strong, growing economy allowing for sustainable, long term investment, not by borrowing billions as Labour propose.

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

Our high streets are at the heart of our communities, and we need to ensure that they remain vibrant places that people want to go. The Conservatives have already introduced the Future High Streets fund, allowing local areas to access funding to modernise and regenerate high streets by investing in housing, workplaces, infrastructure and culture. However, they key is that these improvements should be locally led, ensuring that the people who use the high streets are those making the decisions, to ensure the unique character each area has can be maintained.

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

We need a fundamental realignment of our economy, to ensure our great Northern communities are allowed to thrive. The Conservative manifesto has pledged to begin the construction of Northern Powerhouse Rail, a network which will improve transport links, with a future focus on the Tees Valley, but this is only the start. We have pledged a new National Skills fund, an increase in R&D spending and will invest millions more in apprenticeships, all of which are required for the Northern Powerhouse to thrive.

Alex Cunningham (Labour)

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

A. Health inequalities mean that men in this area will on average die before reaching retirement age – and 16 years earlier than men in the Prime Minister’s area – coupled with thousands of families living in poverty must be the top priority.

B. We must save our NHS and provide 21st century care for our community to address our very specific needs and recruit the GPs, hospital doctors and nurses we need. But our people will never be healthy if they live in poverty so we must address wages and benefits to improve their lives.

C. We also need investment in infrastructure to improve facilities, create jobs and address rising unemployment.

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

As a person who campaigned to Remain in the EU I’ve very mindful that 66% of people in the area voted to leave – but I don’t believe they want to put their jobs, investment, trade and rights at risk. I have spent much of the last three years talking with many groups from industrialists to farmers who desperately want a deal that does all those things and helps our country thrive. A Labour Government can quickly agree a deal with the EU and refer the matter back to the people to confirm whether they want to accept it. We should not rush a decision that will have repercussions for generations to come. We must get it right, and not rush it for the sake of it.

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

If you earn over £80,000 a year, then yes. It is only right that the top 5% of earners in the UK contribute a little more, when so many people are going without. I believe we have a duty to support each other. Everybody benefits from the NHS. Everybody benefits from fully resourced police. Everybody benefits from good schools. But lower income earners do not have enough to get to their next pay day, through no fault of their own. It is a failure of our society that nurses who work long weeks anyway must pick up a second job to feed their children. We have failed, we must do better, and this is the best step forward.

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

I am proud that Stockton has award-winning high streets and the local Council does a fantastic job supporting them. I have called out big business such as Debenhams when it has made a decision to move away from areas like Stockton, instead of helping us create and maintain a thriving high street – not to mention the job losses that come with it. The new Hampton by Hilton Hotel and the reopening of The Globe should increase footfall, and we want business to help us with that. If the high street fails, businesses fail and there are job losses with that. It has a snowball effect. We must intervene and work to enhance our high streets by giving smaller new businesses opportunities to thrive and develop, as well as working with the larger brand names to see what can keep them here in Stockton.

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

I get increasingly frustrated that Teesside is all but ignored by the so-called Northern Powerhouse which seems to end at Leeds – just like HS2 rail – and is concentrated in the area from Liverpool to Hull. This area has been a powerhouse for generations but now needs proper investment in industry creating the kind of environment in which it will thrive – including carbon capture and storage which won’t just help save current jobs but attract new ones. The Northern Powerhouse must be a champion for all this, for skills, the chemical and energy intensive industries, for Teesside and the North East.

We are still waiting to get a response from North East Party candidate Mark Gideon Burdon. We will add this response as soon as we receive it.