This Thursday we head to the polls to elect a new MP for Wirral West.
Two years ago, Labour candidate Margaret Greenwood managed to win the seat from the Conservative MP Esther McVey by just 417 votes.
As one of the tightest marginal seats in the country, the final result for Wirral West is far from certain.
We asked all the 2017 candidates to answer the following questions:
- What are your priorities for the people of West Kirby?
- Why should the people of West Kirby vote for you?
Here’s what they said:
Margaret Greenwood (Labour)
1: What are your priorities for the people of West Kirby?
I will work to protect and strengthen the public services on which we all rely, open up opportunities for our young people, improve support for older residents and protect the environment.
Labour will reverse the Conservatives’ cuts to school funding.
We will abolish tuition fees for university students.
We will fund an extra 10,000 police officers across the country and prioritise neighbourhood policing.
We will lay the foundations of a National Care Service to provide dignity and care in old age, abolish parking charges at NHS hospitals and increase Carer’s Allowance by £11 a week.
We will protect the triple lock on pensions, free bus passes and the Winter Fuel Allowance.
In addition to prioritising the strengthening of public services, I will work hard to protect our local environment of green spaces, clean beaches and the bird and marine life of Hilbre Island and the Dee.
2: Why should the people of West Kirby vote for you?
I have worked hard for the people of West Kirby over the last two years, holding regular surgeries in West Kirby library and taking up issues on behalf of individuals and local community groups.
If re-elected, I will continue to listen to and take up the concerns of local people.
I have campaigned hard against Underground Coal Gasification in the Dee and will continue to do so.
I have championed the cause of cocklers in the Dee, calling for a better deal for this important local industry.
I put pressue on Wirral NHS to improve access to phlebotomy services, and a new hub has been now introduced at the Concourse.
I campaigned for a new bus service to cover West Kirby and surrounding areas. As a result, the 88 was introduced.
If re-elected on 8 June, I will continue to be a strong voice for the people of West Kirby.
Tony Caldeira (Conservative)
1.What are your priorities for the people of West Kirby?
West Kirby and the whole of Wirral West is a beautiful part of the world and full of great people. My priorities focus on ensuring that everyone in Wirral West has the best opportunities to make the most of their talents, whilst ensuring that our uniquely beautiful constituency is protected.
My priorities for West Kirby and Wirral West are:
- Growing the Local Economy: I want to ensure that the local economy in West Kirby and across Wirral West continues to grow, creating more jobs in the area and funding our public services.
- Defending Wirral’s Grammar Schools: I will defend Wirral’s fantastic Grammar Schools and fight to ensure that they continue to provide the high-quality education that they are renowned for.
- Protecting Green and Open Spaces: I will fight to protect our beautiful Green and Open spaces across the constituency, safeguarding them for this and future generations.
2. Why should the people of West Kirby vote for you?
Since 2010, Wirral West and the country has seen significant improvement. Our economy has not only recovered but is stronger than ever.
We have more people in work with the lowest unemployment rates in generations, whilst reducing Labour’s deficit by three quarters.
In Wirral West, since 2010, there are over 400 more businesses and over 4,000 apprenticeships started. There are more opportunities for people to build a better life for themselves and their families.
We must secure the proven leadership to see us through Brexit and continue our economic progress.
I will work tirelessly for the people of Wirral West, representing their best interests through Brexit and beyond.
The choice in Wirral West is clear – it’s either Jeremy Corbyn and Margaret Greenwood or Theresa May and Tony Caldeira. Vote for a stronger, more prosperous Wirral West and United Kingdom. Vote for Tony Caldeira, the Conservative Party candidate.
Peter Reisdorf (Liberal Democrat)
1. What are your priorities for the people of West Kirby?
I live in West Kirby so what matters to West Kirby people matters to me. I understand that the other candidates live in Liverpool.
Some of the things that matter to people here are the same things that matter to people throughout the country, like the NHS and education.
However, the local environment is one of things that makes living here so popular so I would want to protect our local environment.
Threats include very localised issues such as housing on the Green Belt and the unconventional gas extraction methods, such as underground coal gasification and fracking.
Linked to fracking and UCG is climate change, which is a global threat that would have a serious local impact.
2. Why should the people of West Kirby vote for you?
Only the Liberal Democrats are truly opposing May’s hard Brexit plans and fought to Remain. We are better off in the EU.
Other very big issues include the underfunding of the NHS and schools. For the NHS and social care, we would raise all income tax rates by 1p.
Then there’s climate change. Since the Tories won in 2015 they have started to reverse the steps that we took whilst in coalition to prevent climate change.
Finally, vote for the local candidate!
John Coyne (Green Party)
1. What are your priorities for the people of West Kirby?
The first local priority is to change planning law so that greenbelt land around West Kirby is safe from encroachment – Wirral council’s Hoylake golf resort should be stopped.
The Green Party believes the state pension should be raised to a decent level of £180, paid for by abolishing the upper limit on national insurance for high earners.
For West Kirby’s young people we would offer free public transport, similar to the senior bus pass, paid for by taxing air fuel.
We aim to solve the air quality crisis with a new Clean Air Act and by reducing traffic, with slower speeds and fewer cars on the road, we can have air fit to breathe and streets safe to walk and cycle.
The NHS needs protection from further privatisation and it needs much more funding than the other parties are willing to provide.
2. Why should the people of West Kirby vote for you?
Some people will use their vote tactically and I understand that. For those who do vote Green this time, there will be many reasons.
The long term view – beyond the current election – is that there needs to be a strong Green Party capable of challenging the consensus of the other parties that economic growth can solve all our problems. It has not done so and perpetual growth within a finite planet is not possible. Instead we need to face up to the politics of redistribution: we are a rich country but the wealth is in the wrong hands.
The Green Party is the only party standing that will cancel Trident, ending nuclear weapons in Britain and using the savings to support the NHS.
Supporting the Green Party is also a vote for a better voting system. With proportional representation people know their vote counts: tactical voting will not be necessary.