WE at the Journal have asked each of Salisbury's election candidates some questions in the lead-up to the general election on July 4.

So far, we have spoken to:

Up next, Labour's Matt Aldridge. Independent candidate Arthur Pendragon's answers will be published soon. 

Why should people vote for you?

Salisbury wants change. We’ve been taken for granted by 14 years of austerity, partying and profiteering during a crisis, economic mismanagement, and a collapse of leadership and integrity. That’s why I’m so proud to stand in Salisbury on Labour’s plan for growth and national renewal.

As someone who was born here and grew up here, I understand the issues that affect Salisbury. I’m committed to serving my home town with a strong voice and steady hands.

I have a practical plan to bring Salisbury’s shine back, and the integrity and leadership to always do right by Salisbury.

What would be on your to do list on day 1 and what would be your top three priorities going forward?

Day one? Let’s get our local economy thriving again. Labour’s fully-costed, fully-funded manifesto with its tough fiscal rules will give us the stability we need to build an economy that works as hard as we do.

From there we can bring down the cost of living, switching on GB energy to cut bills and removing trade barriers to bring down food prices, so we can support our hard-working families and farms. I will also priorities putting the NHS back on its feet, and saving our chalk streams by putting a stop to illegal sewage dumping.

What are your policies on climate change / net zero?

My policies are a commitment to reaching Net Zero by 2050 and a clean electricity system by 2030. To do this we’ll switch on Great British Energy, crowding in investment to create good quality jobs, to bring down bills and to secure our energy. This is backed up by the Warm Homes Plan to insulate cold, draughty homes, which will make them more affordable to heat and bring down energy use. 

What do you think needs to be done to fix the NHS, especially with regards to NHS dentists?

Everyone can see the NHS is on its knees and we need to put it back on its feet. It’s almost impossible to get a GP or dentist appointment, and our brilliant NHS staff are chronically undervalued and overstretched. That’s why we’ve committed to closing tax loopholes on non-dom status so we can increase the capacity of the NHS through 40,000 more appointments per week, 700,000 more urgent dentist appointments and doubling the number of cancer scanners to drive down waiting lists.

And that’s just a first step. We’ve committed to reviewing the way the NHS operates to develop a sustainable solution to save the NHS, which includes preventative care, social care reform, supervised teeth cleaning for children, a Dentistry Rescue Plan, and consulting with NHS staff to improve working conditions.

Is housing a priority for you? 

Housing is definitely a priority for me. Families and young people struggle to find housing in Salisbury, which has meant the average age of someone living with their parents is mid-30s. Labour will build 1.5 million new home across the country, with a commitment to ‘building brownfield first, greyfield second’ in order to preserve our green belt. We will reform planning rules.  It is wild to me to see developments on the outskirts of Salisbury with no amenities, thin infrastructure and being built on flood plains. Labour is committed to good housing for all, with reformed planning to ensure they’re built in the right places.

On Labour’s plans to end private schools’ VAT exemption and business rate relief

I am hugely empathetic to parents who are working as hard as they can to give their children the best start in life. As a father I understand this. As someone who was lucky enough to go to a brilliant state school, I know the power of great teachers and good resources in an aspirational environment. I want this for all children.

The fact is, after 14 years of economic mismanagement, we have tough decisions to make. The 94 per cent of children who attend our state schools are being educated in crumbling buildings, without simple resources like pencils or working toilets, and a constant chain of supply teachers. Living standards have also dropped so low that many children are turning up to school on an empty stomach.

That’s why Labour is closing the tax relief for independent schools to provide a decent education for all. I would ask the independent sector to look at the way they structure their fees, which have risen faster than inflation, and to look at their business model, such as assets like rented land, rather than passing it all on to hard-pressed parents.