Wakefield candidates have their say

The general election candidates for Wakefield.

Waj Ali - Independent:

“As we approach the final few days of GE17 my salary sacrifice of an MP’s salary, i.e. £374,810 (5 years) to Wakefield Hospice has been well received by the Wakefield public. If the candidates from the major parties are genuine about the concerns of Wakefield, then let’s get them to match my pledge. Wakefield Wildcats Community Stadium is a big issue; false promises are not good enough, local history and traditions should not be eradicated. Wakefield Council have pledged £2m towards a new stadium. I will force WMDC to make a Compulsory Purchase Order on the existing stadium at Doncaster Road for £1m and £500K for the adjacent site (formerly Super Bowl) with a cash asset new investment can be secured for a new stadium on the existing site. All options should be available. Council tax has gone up erratically in recent years with little or no improvements. Let the public decide; £2m pounds a year can be saved if we reduced the number of councillors. Protecting Pinderfield’s from private acquisition and safeguarding NHS jobs within. Free parking for patients and visitors at Pinderfields, health before profits. Nationalisation of the rail network. Vote for change and a better Wakefield - Vote Wajid Ali.”

Lucy Brown - Yorkshire Party:

“The Yorkshire Party is committed to bringing power closer to people and local communities. As the candidate for Wakefield, my goal is to ensure that everyone in the constituency is heard on the issues that matter to them: education, infrastructure, the NHS, and social care. While my ultimate aim is a Yorkshire Parliament serving the needs of everyone in the county, that doesn’t mean we can’t be making positive contributions to our communities in the meantime. I promise to work across party lines and with businesses and residents across the Wakefield District to stand up and be a voice for our city. The Yorkshire Party isn’t a traditional political party – we don’t have a party whip. That means I can listen to my constituents and make my own judgement on the issues that matter to our city. I might be Wakefield born and bred, but I don’t pretend to know everything about Wakefield and its people. However, I’m ready to listen to the people who know best about their own lives – my fellow Wakefield residents.”

Antony Calvert - Conservative:

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“This election is about what kind of country we want to be. Last June I, and 66% of people in Wakefield, voted to leave the EU.

I want to be Wakefield’s next MP because we need the Brexit the clear majority of Wakefield voted for. Returning an MP so out of step with her constituents would be disastrous for Wakefield, and for Britain.

Nationally Britain needs Theresa May, who will deliver the £4billion extra for schools, and the £8billion more for the NHS. Not Jeremy Corbyn, who plans to borrow tens of billions and pass this debt on to our kids and grandkids.

Locally I have campaigned to get Wakefield Trinity a new Community Stadium, in the teeth of opposition from Castleford Labour councillors. A Conservative MP can stand up to a Labour council in a way a Labour MP can, and will never, do.

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I want to create a new Wakefield City Council, returning power to Wakefield from the Castleford-clique of Labour councillors who are running and ruining the city.

Having a locally born and raised Conservative MP, rather than Jeremy Corbyn’s London candidate, will give Wakefield the fresh start we need to put Wakefield first.”

Mary Creagh - Labour:

“On Thursday the choice is between myself, an active local campaigner who is a strong national voice for Wakefield. Or a Tory “yes man” who will rubber stamp the huge cuts planned for our area.

As Wakefield’s MP for 12 years, I have delivered a new hospital, flood defences, university centre and railway stations. I am working with Wakefield Trinity, the council and developer to deliver a community stadium. I will always put national security first. I back Trident and NATO and want more police to fight crime and terrorism. I saved King Street Walk-in Centre from closure. I have helped thousands of residents from my Cheapside office.

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Tory plans to scrap Winter Fuel Allowance for most pensioners and cruel Dementia Tax will hit pensioners. They want to cut £21 million from Wakefield schools and will slash West Yorkshire’s NHS and social care by a billion pounds by 2021.

I will fight for a Brexit deal that works for Wakefield – that controls immigration, and protects jobs, investment and public services. The UKIP candidate in our neighbouring seat is so worried by a Tory landslide he is urging people to support me. I am grateful for his support. I hope I will have yours.”

Finbarr Cronin - Lib Dem

“Finbarr and the Liberal Democrats are campaigning for an open, tolerant and united country. We want the UK to stay in the single market ensuring we have a strong UK economy. Our economy and jobs will be trashed if we allow Jeremy Corbyn or Theresa May to pull us out of the single market taking us back to the economic dark ages.

We are fighting to ensure our NHS and social care services are properly funded. We will be honest with voters and ask you to pay a penny extra on income tax to save the NHS.

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Finbarr is also passionate about putting children first by ensuring Wakefield’s schools are properly funded. Unlike the Labour and Conservative candidates, Finbarr and his young family live in the area and rely on Wakefield’s schools and NHS, giving him an extra reason to care.

We will remove the 1 per cent cap on public sector pay, giving an average annual pay rise of £779. By contrast, our hospitals’ and schools’ funding will be slashed if we allow the Conservatives to follow Nigel Farage’s vision of a hard Brexit.

This election is about your choice about your future. Vote Liberal Democrat and change Britain’s future.”