GE2019: Q&A with the candidates standing for Houghton and Sunderland South

Richard Bradley (Green)

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

1. The Climate Crisis. Our Green New Deal will invest in zero carbon technology. With our history of engineering and North Sea port we are well placed to build an industry servicing offshore Wind Farms and be at the forefront of the Green Industrial revolution.

2. Democracy. First past the post has failed us, we would introduce proportional representation in all elections and change the local councils from a cabinet system where a few party favourites make all the decisions to a committee system where everyone has their say.

3. Brexit. The North East will suffer most whatever version of Brexit is attempted; we must stop it.

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

MP’s are elected to do the best for their constituents. As the consequences of Brexit become clear many MP’s find themselves in the impossible position of being asked by their constituents to vote for something that will do them harm, no wonder Parliament is deadlocked. It is only right for Parliament to go back to the people and ask if this is what you really want. A general election is not the place to do it, solve Brexit with a referendum and elect a government that will respond to the Climate Crisis.

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

The NHS does need properly funding and our Green New Deal would inject £6bn a year but that doesn’t mean increasing everyone’s tax. The tax system is broken and not fit for purpose, the more you have the more ways there are of avoiding tax. Our Green New Deal would merge the various taxes into a single Consolidated Income tax which would close these loopholes and bring in £20bn extra a year. We would ensure all public services get the funding they need, are run for the benefit of their communities and pioneer preventative healthcare.

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

High streets are the heart of every city and the Green New Deal recognises this. Reforming land and property taxes will benefit the small, independent businesses suffering under the unfair business rates. Reducing VAT on food and drink served in pubs and restaurants, on hotel booking and on live entertainment will boost the leisure and cultural sectors. Responding to the climate emergency will change the way we live our lives, the days of driving to out of town centres are coming to an end, we will invest in High Streets as the most sustainable future.

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

The Northern Powerhouse is Westminster’s way of pretending they care about anything outside of London and seems to think the North ends in Manchester, or at a push York. Whilst we have a central government determined to hold all the power nothing will change. To tackle the Climate Emergency and deliver social justice the Green New Deal will devolve real power from central to local government, in conjunction with making local government more democratic. Investment from the Green New Deal will be targeted at those areas who need it most (not the South of England) with the final decision on what is spent where being made at a local level.

Paul Edgeworth (Liberal Democrat)

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

We need a local MP that gives a toss about our community. I will be an MP that listens to residents, runs campaigns to improve our city and stands up to bad decisions by Sunderland Council and the Government. We need a change at Sunderland Council. We’ve been let down by decades of Labour rule. The Council doesn’t listen to residents. Taxpayers money is squandered on vanity projects and perks for councillors instead of being invested in decent local services. We also need serious investment to improve public transport, town centres & to bring more high quality jobs to Wearside.

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

The people should be given the chance to have their say on how to proceed on Brexit. There is no clear agreement amongst Brexiteers on what constitutes a ‘good’ deal. Parliament cannot know whether the public want a no-deal exit, Boris Johnson’s deal, Theresa May’s deal, some different type of arrangement for leaving the EU, or whether a majority now want to remain in the EU. Only a confirmatory referendum can tell us whether or not the country wants the Brexit deal on offer – and legitimately settle the Brexit issue once and for all.

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

We need to be honest that we will need to raise taxes in order to pay for decent public services. People should be prepared to pay a bit more – but crucially this must be done fairly. For example, big businesses must pay their fair share of tax – including online corporate giants like Google and Amazon. Only when we are properly stamping out tax avoidance can we reasonably expect people to pay a bit more. Lib Dems would add 1p in the pound on income tax to secure funding for our NHS and social care system, raising £7 billion a year.

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

Local MPs and Sunderland Council need to show real leadership and get things done to help Sunderland city centre & Houghton town centre to thrive. Sunderland Council must cut parking charges to make it easier for people to come to the city centre so we can compete with the Galleries, Dalton Park, MetroCentre and Newcastle city centre. Dozens of promised regeneration schemes for Sunderland have failed to materialise and the Vaux site sat empty for 20 years. As Lib Dem MP I will be ambitious for Sunderland and will work tirelessly to attract private-sector investment to improve our city centre.

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

It needs local Lib Dem MPs who understand the North East and who will shout loud and work hard to secure investment in our region. At the moment, Labour-run councils and MPs here have failed to deliver the improvements we deserve. They have allowed successive Governments to focus the Northern Powerhouse on Manchester and Leeds, whilst our region is ignored. Even when the North East does get included, attention and spending is always focused on Newcastle whilst local MPs allow Sunderland and Houghton to be forgotten about time and time again. I’ll be an MP who will put Sunderland first.

Bridget Phillipson (Labour)

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

Nine years of Tory austerity have hit our community hard: our NHS is in crisis, police numbers have plummeted, and schools are reeling from brutal cuts. I would turn this around by fighting for investment in our NHS to train more doctors and nurses locally, and making sure our police have the staff and resources they need to tackle crime and keep our community safe. I would also work tirelessly to ensure all of our children get the quality education they deserve, and fight to bring more secure, well-paid jobs and apprenticeships to our area to benefit generations to come.

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

I appreciate that in 2016 a majority of local people and the country voted to Leave the European Union. Since then, I have done all I can to protect our area’s interests as the Tory government negotiated a deal. However, it's become clear that no form of Brexit can match what was promised to voters, and Johnson’s deal would cause huge damage to local jobs and livelihoods in our region. I believe it's only right that people are given the final say on our relationship with the EU, with the option of remaining in the EU on our current terms.

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

Tory cuts have created an unprecedented crisis in our NHS and public services. A&E waiting times are the worst ever recorded, local people regularly struggle to see their GP, and patients are experiencing unacceptable waits for urgent treatment. Only a Labour government would deliver the scale of investment our public services need. Labour would make sure that corporations and the wealthiest individuals in our society pay their fair share, and clamp down on tax avoidance. These are services everyone in our society relies upon, and it’s only right that those with the broadest shoulders bear more of the load.

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

Local high streets are at the heart of our communities, but they need help to thrive. A Labour government would ensure this is the case by making business rates fairer. I will also continue to defend vital community assets like banks and post offices, which so many people rely on. We also need to make sure that local people have enough money to spend in our community, which means more secure, well-paid jobs. I would do everything I can to create these opportunities, so people in our area enjoy a better standard of living and can support our local economy.

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

The Tories have used the Northern Powerhouse to distract from the brutal cuts they’ve inflicted on the north east, which has borne the brunt of austerity. Now our infrastructure is crumbling, and there are too few opportunities for local people. If we really want to unleash our region’s potential, we need to properly invest in public transport and infrastructure, and support our young people so they have the skills to succeed in years to come. Only a Labour government can deliver the wholesale investment we need, and I would fight to ensure our region gets its fair share.

Kevin Yuill (Brexit Party)

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

The most important issue is democracy. Labour has turned its back on the 62,4% in this constituency who voted, in the biggest democratic mandate in British history, to leave. This is why I’m standing; the Brexit Party will do what it says on the tin. Second, we need more infrastructure and investment. I will fight for our area – our policy is 0% business rates – and I suspect the shock of a Brexit MP will be more effective in bringing it than politics as usual. Third, I think our parks need protection. But, not being a politician, the only real promise I’ll make is to work hard for the area.

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

Leave is the only moral and acceptable political outcome, given the national vote. Any other is simply undermining the democratic process and is extraordinarily dangerous. When Labour, the Lib-Dems, Greens and, let’s face it, many Conservatives argue for a second referendum or for revoking Article 50, they tell people that their votes in the biggest mandate in British history don’t matter, that they are not competent to govern themselves, and that the rich and powerful in London matter much more than them. That is wrong. If you want Brexit, you must vote for the Brexit Party.

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

Yes, but only those who can afford it. I don’t like regressive taxes that punish those on low incomes. I really don’t like the Hospital car parking charges, which were introduced under the Blair administration, a tax on the elderly, the ill, and their loved ones. A constituent on benefits told me that her brother had a heart attack. She took him to hospital and did not leave his side until after he died. Coming out, she was greeted with a £15 charge, 1/5 of her weekly income. But for those with high incomes, yes to additional taxes.

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

First, 0% business rates make sense and this is Brexit Party policy. Working at a university, I see many entrepreneurial young people. Giving them the opportunity to experiment with new ideas for shops might revive the high street. This has happened successfully elsewhere in the tech sector and with food markets. We might also examine rents and work with landlords to fill empty shops. We also need better and cheaper transport and parking so that people can get to the shops.

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

The main problem is that it is not bold enough. We have a new bridge in Sunderland, which is a move in the right direction. But we need more. Northern Powerhouse should cancel HS2 – far too much money wasted already. Manchester has taken off – I think they now need to pay attention to the North East. If we get Brexit Party MPs on the green benches from this region, much more attention will come to the area and I would hope that more spending will follow.

We are yet to receive a response from UKIP candidate Richard Elvin and Conservative candidate Christopher Howarth. If we receive anymore responses we will add them as soon as possible.