General election 2017: Meet the six Salisbury candidates

Candidates are placed in alphabetical order by surname.

Corbin, Tom - Labour

UNDER the Conservatives the NHS faces financial crisis, waiting lists are up and targets are down. Our Social Care services have had a temporary sticking plaster repair.

The economy is floundering and we are still borrowing at levels that Tory austerity measures were meant to stop.

Schools are preparing to cut courses as education funding is cut with class sizes set to increase.

The Police are now so undermanned that they have to choose what to respond to.

Labour will end the privatisation of the NHS. I support an integrated NHS and social care system that provides better joined up care for older and disabled people, funding dignity across the board and ensure parity for mental health services.

Labour will invest in our economy to boost skilled jobs and trade.

Labour will keep class sizes down. We will invest in 10,000 more police officers.

Labour will not raise the standard rate VAT, personal National Insurance contributions or income tax for those earning below £80,000 whilst raising the living wage to £10 per hour.

Labour will forge a new relationship with the EU, not as a member nation but as a partner. Where jobs, the economy and retaining the benefits of the single market and the customs union are our priority. Where work place rights and the environment are protected. Where EU nationals living here, can live in certainty that Brexit will not affect them.

I believe in a better, brighter future, one where our children can aspire to have their own home.

One where we can look forward to getting older without fearing a failing care system as we slow down. One where achievers are no longer the privileged few and where everyone is treated equally and fairly.

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Glen, John - Conservative

I BELIEVE that Salisbury deserves the best representation possible, and over the last seven years, I have done my utmost to ensure that its special qualities are recognised and rewarded in Westminster and beyond.

My roots in the city go back generations. I love Salisbury and I will continue to fight fiercely for the good of all its people, regardless of how they vote.

I have carefully cultivated my reputation in Westminster as a hardworking and committed constituency MP. Having the ear of decision makers and experience in the corridors of power has enabled me to deliver £22 million for Salisbury community projects in the last two years alone. I was also instrumental in negotiations to persuade Boeing to make their largest ever investment in the UK here in South Wiltshire.

My priorities are to build on these successes and deliver more high quality jobs, reduce congestion on our roads and free our communities from the constant pressure of over-development. I founded the South Wiltshire Economic Task Force to drive forward major infrastructure projects that will pave the way for a cleaner, greener city centre.

I am passionately committed to protecting public services, nurturing our precious NHS and ensuring the fair distribution of extra funding to our schools. I welcome the proposed new Funding Formula which will deliver more money for most local schools – if I am returned I will continue to work to secure the funding needed for every school.

My view is that constant endeavour and absolute integrity are the very least that people should expect from their MP. It has been an honour to represent Salisbury for the last seven years. If I am fortunate enough to be re-elected, I will continue to dedicate every waking minute to working hard for Salisbury and south Wiltshire.

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Oubridge, Brig - Green

BRIG Oubridge, who will be standing in Salisbury, is a veteran Green Party activist who joined the party in 1979 and first stood for parliament in Swansea in the 1983 election.

He was also heavily involved in the anti-nuclear movement, presenting the Green Party’s evidence to the Sizewell B public inquiry in 1984.

He became a member of CND’s national council, took part in non-violent direct action against cruise missiles, and was a leading member of the Molesworth Rainbow Village evicted from the proposed cruise missile base in Cambridgeshire by Michael Heseltine in 1985.

In the late 1980s he was twice elected as a co-chair of the Green Party, and appointed the party’s present co-leader, Caroline Lucas MP, to her first Green Party job as Press Officer in 1987.

In 1992 he was a leading figure in creating the alliance between the Greens and Plaid Cymru which saw Cynog Dafis elected as a joint Green/Plaid MP for Ceredigion.

From 1994 to 2009 he was director of the successful Big Green Gathering festival, which took place until 2000 near Longbridge Deverell before moving to Cheddar area in 2002.

Since retiring to Salisbury in 2013, Brig has been Salisbury Green Party election agent and campaign organiser.

He is currently the Green Party’s national spokesperson on House of Lords reform, having drafted the House of Lords Reform Bill which was presented to parliament by the party’s Baroness Jenny Jones earlier this year.

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Palethorpe, Dean - Ukip

MY name is Dean Palethorpe and I am representing UKIP in the beautiful constituency of Salisbury in the general election.

Some people believe UKIP’s job is now complete, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Even with Theresa May currently talking a good game, UKIP’s fully costed 2015 manifesto with far reaching policies proved this was not the case.

While the 2017 GE manifesto is still being finalised, UKIP will be campaigning very hard on issues that will hopefully change the political landscape over the coming years from direct democracy, a reformed House of Lords and proportional representation.

Even though I hope Theresa May makes a success of Brexit I believe a strong UKIP vote is vital to ensure there is no backsliding. There are still unacceptable soundings that we will still be involved in the European Arrest Warrant, which allows for the extradition of UK citizens without prima facie evidence to EU countries, some of which have judicial systems that are corrupt. The Tories have u-turned on their pledge to scrap the European Courts of Human Rights, which has hindered us deporting criminals and terrorists. Since 2010 Theresa May’s party as backed £20 billion of annual EU and Foreign Aid handouts.

Only UKIP is brave enough to drastically cut our overly generous Foreign Aid budget. Our national debt is close to £2 trillion and we are borrowing money to give away to other countries when some of this money should be used to alleviate the pressures in the NHS and social care.

How can we continue to give borrowed money away when, since 2010, 15,000 hospital beds have been cut causing NHS workers to be put under immense pressure and there have been 30,000 cuts to our Armed Forces personnel?

Vote UKIP for smaller government and less tax.

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Pendragon, Arthur - Independent

PRESIDENT Erdogan of Turkey recently called a referendum in order to increase his presidential powers and the political analysts and pundits warned us of totalitarianism.

A couple of weeks later Theresa May, went back on her word and called an election, telling us that she was fed up with being opposed in Parliament over her Brexit plans and that we needed ‘strong and stable leadership’ sound familiar? Totally…..

So what are the other parties up to?

Well like Erdogan and May the SNP are also calling for another vote, this time on Scottish Independence presumably because they did not get the answer they wanted last time.

Meanwhile the Greens and the Liberal democrats are calling for yet more referendums as they clearly do not accept what the people of Britain voted for when asked about leaving the EU.

Which leaves Labour, who find it increasingly hard to agree with themselves on any policy, or ‘also ran’s’ like UKIP, with ‘Built in obsolescence’, who have served their purpose.

Unless, that is, you live in a constituency like Salisbury where there is an Independent standing.

Only an Independent, free from the party whip and partisan politics can support a good idea and oppose a bad one whichever side of the house it comes from.

Locally my opposition to EH at Stonehenge is well known, opposing their ‘pay to pray’ policy, their refusal to rebury the dead and their support for an unacceptable tunnel and their monopoly on all the commerce generated from the World Heritage site.

So, if like me, you are fed up with ‘the Westminster political elite’ vote for a change. Vote Independent and, who knows, in this post Brexit-Post Trump world you might just get it.

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Sample, Paul - Liberal Democrat

SALISBURY and South Wiltshire residents may already be familiar with Sample. A Wiltshire man born and bred, who has lived in Salisbury for more than 40 years, Paul has served as mayor of Salisbury, as a city, district, and county councillor, and as a member of Wiltshire Police Authority. Paul continues to sit as a Justice of the Peace on the South Wiltshire Magistrates Bench, and runs a successful marketing business in Wilton.

Paul stood as the Liberal Democrats’ parliamentary candidate for Salisbury in 1992, and won more votes than any other Lib Dem candidate in the history of the constituency. Now, with 25 more years of public service experience, he wants to use his big personality, understanding of local needs, and positive, can do attitude to speak up for Salisbury and South Wiltshire in Westminster.

Though a member of the Liberal Democrats since 1977, Paul’s not a party man who sees his role as defending government policies in Salisbury. He’s a local man who is unafraid to speak sense to the powerful, and will make Westminster listen to the issues which concern his constituents.

Throughout his campaign so far, Paul has worked round the clock to meet as many people as possible. You might well have seen him greeting commuters on their way into work, meeting parents, teachers, and students in schools, and taking time to listen to local businesses on Salisbury Market and about the town.

Now, as throughout his career, he prioritises visibility, approachability, and being in touch with the local community. If you don’t meet with people, listen to what they have to say, and take time to understand their concerns, how can you expect to represent them?

A vote for Paul is a vote for the voice of this community.