GE2019: Q&A with the candidates standing for the Middlesbrough constituency

Andy Mcdonald (Labour)

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

The climate change emergency transcends everything but the three key local issues are poverty/inequality, public services and jobs. The punishing poverty that too many people suffer is disgraceful. Many households, and working households included, are simply finding it too difficult to make ends meet and the growth in foodbanks in the last 9 years is truly shameful. Our public services are beyond tipping point with inadequate resources to provide the social care that adults and children need, our GPS and hospitals stretched and insufficient funding for our schools and colleges depriving students young and not so young with the training opportunities they need and of course the cuts to our emergency services has had disastrous consequences for people’s safety and their anxieties around the issue of crime. With regards to jobs, the local unemployment rate is painfully high and much higher than the national average and the Government has no real desire or effective response to the crisis.

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

Our area voted to leave the EU and a factor in the mix, but not on its own, is the justified anger at the inequality and lack of investments and the punishing austerity that the Tories have chosen to inflict on our community. But a bad deal or no deal exit would make matters so much worse. I have very serious concerns about our key industries and even the government acknowledges that our region would suffer the most if we leave with No Deal or Johnson’s Deal. I voted Remain and that is still my default position but, I agree with the invisible Jacob Rees Mogg, that it’s perfectly right that once a deal is finalised it should be put back to the people in a confirmatory vote. Labour can negotiate an exit deal that doesn’t wreck the economy and that leave deal should be put to the people for them to have the final say and a Labour a government will then implement the people’s decision to leave on the basis of that deal or to remain if that is what the people decide.

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

More tax for NHS- Yes. But only the top 5% of earners. The top 95%, those earning over £80,000 and the Companies who have had massive tax cuts in the last 9 years should pay a bit more tax and the Amazons and Facebooks of this world should start paying what is due. We’ll use that additional £82.9bn to put right the lack of proper investment principally in in our NHS but also in our schools, social care, Police etc and give our public sector workers a 5% pay rise.

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

Labour will act to stem the decline of our high streets by stopping bank closures and banning ATM charges, giving local councils the powers to use empty shops and give town centres the shot in the arm they need with investment in local transport bringing people into town and home again to enjoy the retail, social and cultural facilities.

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

The Northern Powerhouse has to be more than a slogan and for it to truly work, it has to be devolved to the regions and not run from London. That is why Labour will establish Regional Investment Banks whose purpose will be to drive economic development and also is why Labour are committed to fully backing Crossrail for the North throughout the northern region, running to £39bn to be drawn from our National Transformation Fund, connecting our communities with a Transport system fit for our 16m people, their businesses and communities. We will deliver free to all Full Fibre broadband to enable all our people to fully engage in the digital environment that is increasingly needed for everyday life. Not only will that transform productivity, it will be inclusive and accessible to everyone. And back to jobs: Teesside is the perfect place to embrace the Green Industrial Revolution bringing transformational change to our energy, chemical, Steel, pharmaceutical and automotive sectors and be the showcase for Carbon Capture User and Storage.

Ruth Betson (Conservative)

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

Transport: securing an investment in Northern Powerhouse Rail by upgrading Middlesbrough train station. Work with Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen to ensure Middlesbrough gets its share of the £256m transport devolution package.

Police: work with Simon Clarke in Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland to ensure Cleveland Police is run more efficiently. Our officers are great, the management not so much.

Education: I believe in opportunity and education, both traditional schooling and apprenticeships. So I am delighted that school funding will be increased by £14 billion over the next three years, a real terms increase in average per pupil spending of 7.4 per cent.

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

I voted Leave in 2016 and pledge to work with the Prime Minister to get Brexit done! To ignore the will of the people makes a complete mockery of our democracy. We cannot pick and choose the results we want to implement. As things stand, there is only one way to get Brexit done - and that is to return a Conservative Government with a working majority on December 12th. A vote for any other Party will hand the keys of Number 10 to Jeremy Corbyn, who still can’t tell us which side of Brexit he’s on.

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

To pay for world-class health care we should foster and encourage the millions of British businesses, large and small, that create the wealth of the nation. A Conservative government will also clamp down on health tourism, ensuring that those from overseas who use NHS services pay their fair share. We all know we have to pay some tax, however the Conservatives have cut taxes for 32 million people - saving a typical basic rate taxpayer £1,205 a year. In contrast, Corbyn’s plans would dump an increase of £2,400 on everyone’s tax bill instead. Ps: the NHS is not for sale!

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

There has inevitably been a rise in online shopping. However let’s get Brexit done and restore confidence and certainty to businesses and families. The Conservatives will cut taxes for small retail businesses and for local music venues, pubs and cinemas to help strengthen high street visitor footfall. Middlesbrough is also one of the 100 Towns to benefit from the new Town Fund announced in September, which means only we here will make the choice as to what improvements our area needs. I would also implement the new Safer Streets Fund to invest in preventative measures like new CCTV.

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

It needs Brexit to be sorted so we can start moving forwards instead of dithering around. We need to unleash Britain’s full potential and a Free Port at Teesport post Brexit would be a great start. It would create more jobs for local people and capitalise on the skills this region is already renowned for. Making a success of Teesside Airport and creating better transport connections: air, rail and road – with a second Tees Crossing to relieve pressure on the A19 – would open the doors to the economic growth Teesside needs. Middlesbrough would have more control over its future.

Thomas Crawford (Liberal Democrats)

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

Poverty: Middlesbrough is the second most deprived constituency in the region with 42% of children in poverty. Liberal Democrats will reduce the wait for the first welfare payment from 5 weeks to 5 days, remove the two child limit to access payments and scrap the benefit cap.

Education: We’ll invest in schools, recruiting 20,000 teachers. We’d invest £7 billion for school building and maintenance, and £50 million in youth services annually (with £3,477,765 extra coming to the Middlesbrough council area.

Policing: Lib Dems will invest £1 billion in community policing, helping make sure police have stronger relations with local communities.

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

Remain, unequivocally. Brexit has become a national embarrassment, the chaos we have now is not what people were promised in 2016 – we’re not taking back control, we’re losing influence and suffering for it economically. The Lib Dems want to stop talking about Brexit and fix issues like poverty, inequality, climate change and poor mental health services. The only way to stop talking about Brexit is to Stop Brexit.

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

Yes, politicians need to be honest with people: you can’t have a good NHS if there’s not money to fund it. Liberal Democrats will put a 1p rise on the Basic, Higher and Additional rates of income tax – generating £7 billion per year extra which we’ll ring-fence to spend on the NHS and social care. This money can be used to relieve the social care crisis we’re having, tackle staff shortages and invest in mental health, wellbeing and prevention services.

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

The Lib Dems are committed to supporting our high streets. We’d prioritise small and medium businesses in the roll-out of hyper-fast broadband, scrap the planning rule which allows developers to turn offices and shops into residential properties without planning permission and scrap business rates and charge a levy on land value to landlords instead.

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

Real investment and real political drive. Politicians need to know that the north doesn’t end at Greater Manchester or Sheffield, but goes much further. While the Labour Party obsesses over nationalisations, Liberal Democrats want to see real change for transport: investing in buses, protecting rural transport and making public transport properly affordable.

Hugh Alberti (Green)

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

Firstly, public services. As a local GP, I am fully aware of how important the NHS is to the people of Middlesbrough; like education and local transport, it is in desperate need of increased funding and the reversal of privatisation. Secondly, employment opportunities and a basic income for all. We need a fairer Britain where no adult or child lives in poverty. Finally, climate chaos is not a local issue but a threat to ALL humanity. We need to take action urgently.

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

Like most people, I am fed up with how much time and energy has been wasted on sorting out Brexit instead of focusing on essential issues such as climate change, the NHS and the economy. It needs to be sorted out quickly and fairly. So much has changed in the last 3 and a half years that it must go back to the people as a Peoples vote – either parliament make the final decision or the people of Britain make the decision and I know who I trust more!

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

Yes, but the right people. Those who can afford it. The tax system needs reforming so that the wealthiest pay their fair share. More important are other tax reforms such as increasing corporate tax and taxing multinational businesses. The highest paid employee in any business should not take home more than ten times the pay of the lowest paid employee.

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

High streets are an essential part of our economy and our local communities, and have been neglected and ignored by countless previous central governments. Independent shops are a key to creating local community and they re-invest in the local area – the majority of the revenue goes back into the local community. These small and local businesses need support and tax breaks rather than nameless corporations who only help the rich get richer. Shopping locally also encourages a healthy lifestyle and reduces use of petrol.

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

The Northern Powerhouse is a Tory con to pretend that they are interested in the people of the North and to try and win votes. Years of promoting it, while we live in austerity, has done nothing to help the people of the North and if anything the inequalities between the north and the south, the rich and the poor, the healthy and the unhealthy, has grown. The people of the North are highly creative, resourceful and hard-working and with real investment – such as creating jobs in public transport and renewable energy – the region will thrive and prosper

We are still yet to receive responses from the Independent candidate Antony High and Brexit Party candidate Faye Clement. If we receive any more replies we will add them as soon as possible.