We asked three of the main candidates for Salford and Eccles their views on local and national issues - and some tricky questions about themselves.
Hazel Blears (Lab):
What changes do you want to see in Salford and Eccles?
Big improvements to Eccles town centre so shoppers have better choice. I want Salford people to get a fair share of jobs in new industries like the digital, advanced manufacturing and green technology sectors. Getting local people jobs at MediaCityUK will also be a priority, as will be getting half hourly trains from Eccles to Manchester, and a better bus service from Swinton to Salford Quays.
Is Britain broken?
No, this is a cheap Tory slogan. Look at how people have come together to stop an incinerator in Monton, are helping rebuild Salford City FC’s clubhouse after the terrible fire, and are working to build the Woolpack. Community spirit is alive and well.
Where do you stand on providing social care?
People are living longer and deserve to be treated fairly, with respect and dignity. Labour is leading the way in creating a National Care Service with free personal care for those in most need now, and a fairer system for everyone in future.
Do married couples deserve tax breaks? Why not extend it to co-habiting couples and single people?
The Tory policy of giving tax breaks to married people is unfair on widows, divorcees and single parents doing their best to bring up their kids. We need practical measures to support stable, loving relationships, not gimmicks.
Cuts will be a big part of the next government's budget. How can you protect front-line services?
The economy needs to be supported through to recovery first. Tough choices will be made but we will trim back the branches rather than swing an axe at the roots of recovery, which is what the Tories plan to do. We need to make efficiencies, cut back on bureaucracy, pool budgets and protect key priorities.
The expenses scandal was embarrassing for all MPs. How can they regain the public's trust?
We have to work hard and get results working with local people. People have forgotten what MPs are there for. I’m here to open up opportunities, help change people’s lives and bring jobs and investment to the city.
What are the main achievements and failings of the Labour government have been since 1997?
Securing the minimum wage, record investment in education, neighbourhood policing and the rebuilding of the NHS are achievements I am proud of. I think we should have acted faster on welfare reform and getting people back to work. We also haven’t built enough affordable homes and this is a challenge we have to rise to.
Why should people vote for you?
At times like this we need experience and someone who can stand up for Salford people. I know how to get things done and have a strong record of achievement here. I can open doors, get hold of the right people and make things happen.
Norman Owen (Lib Dem):
What changes do you want to see in Salford and Eccles?
We need to get behind struggling small businesses like those in Eccles and Pendleton precincts and work towards re-opening empty shops. The Lib Dems have a range of plans to ensure high streets remain at the heart of our communities.
Is Britain broken?
The term ‘Broken Britain’ is invariably used by people ashamed of their country. Although it’s not perfect, I am proud to be British. The media is full of negative stories but you rarely hear about the many positive achievements of ordinary people. The only thing that’s broken is a government that thinks it’s acceptable to cheat on their taxes and expenses while ordinary people struggle.
Where do you stand on providing social care?
We have been fighting Labour cuts and mismanagement in Salford & Eccles for years. It is essential to provide good quality and efficient frontline services. We shouldn’t shirk our social responsibilities because money is tight. Gordon Brown’s plans for free long-term care seem to have been written on the back of a fag packet and if David Cameron really believes that pensioners have a spare £8,000 lying around to provide social care, then he's more out of touch than I thought.
Do married couples deserve tax breaks? Why not extend that to co-habiting couples and single people?
What makes a married couple more deserving of financial assistance than a co-habiting couple or single person? This is another example of Tory policy helping a chosen few and ignoring those who really need assistance.
Cuts will be a big part of the next government's budget. How can you protect front-line services?
It is going to be very difficult. Labour have left the country in such a mess, the best we can do is cushion the blow. The Liberal Democrats will be honest with the public. Too much money has been wasted on bureaucracy rather than investing in frontline services. We will redress the balance.
What experience do you have to lead the people of Salford and Eccles into Parliament?
I have been a councillor for 11 years and leader of the Salford Liberal Democrats for the past five years. I have stuck with the people of this constituency through thick and thin, when national government and the Labour council have ignored them. I have a working class background and I have lived and worked across the city all my life. Finally, my team of campaigners and fellow councillors are just as committed to the city as me and together we can make a real difference.
Is it better to be a man of the people or a man who can lead the people?
It’s important to be able to relate to the people you represent, but it is not the responsibility of our MP to lead them. I am here for the electorate, not for myself. Other MPs would do well to remember that.
Why should people vote for you?
I stand on my record of action as a councillor but if there has been one message from the streets of Salford and Eccles, it is that people want change. I have stood in the Salford constituency twice before, each time I have increased my vote. I am the only candidate that is capable of beating Labour’s cheque-waving candidate, Hazel Blears. I am the best choice for a better Salford.
Matthew Sephton (Con):
What changes do you want to see in Salford and Eccles?
I would like to see Eccles town centre rejuvenated and a central Salford Farmers’ market. I would also like to see the maternity unit at Salford Royal Hospital kept open. Under Conservative proposals, the unit could be kept open if the local community and GPs support it and give it the funding priority.
Is Britain broken?
Under Labour, Britain is a broken society. We’ve now got the highest rate of family breakdown in Europe, one of the highest rates of teenage pregnancy, a million violent crimes committed every year and 100 knife crimes committed every day. Britain is in desperate need of change and optimism for the future.
Where do you stand on providing social care?
We need to look at ways of creating more personalisation in health and social care, and more patient power. I would like to see a home protection scheme to end people having to sell their homes to pay for care. I want to protect the Winter Fuel Payment, and introduce a new entitlement for every household to be fitted with up to £6,500 of approved efficiency improvements.
Do married couples deserve tax breaks? Why not extend that to co-habiting couples and single people?
We can’t go on ignoring the importance of strong families. They provide the stability, warmth and love we need to flourish as human beings, and the relationships they foster are the bedrock on which society is built. A Conservative government will not be neutral on this. Britain’s families will get my full backing, including tax breaks to support couples who make a public commitment to a stable relationship in marriage or a civil partnership.
Cuts will be a big part of the next government’s budget. How can you protect frontline services?
A Conservative government will protect health spending in real terms and honour our commitments on international aid, but there will be cuts in many other departmental budgets so frontline services can be protected, including - a one year public sector pay freeze in 2011 (this won’t affect the one million lowest paid workers); stopping tax credits to families with incomes over £50,000.
You’ve never held public office. Why do you think you are suitable to serve the people of Salford and Eccles in Parliament?
The people of Salford and Eccles are in desperate need for change. People realise that the only chance of dispensing with this discredited Gordon Brown government is by voting for the Conservatives.
Is there such a thing as a typical Tory?
No. The Conservative Party has changed. We are a revitalised, modern and forward-looking party. What all Conservatives have in common is a desire to ensure Britain remains a great country in the world and to look after people by supporting the NHS, schools and families. The individuals who make up the party come from all walks of life and all backgrounds.
Why should people vote for you?
People deserve an MP who will work with them and listen to their concerns. As a school teacher and someone who gets involved in the locality, I know what life is like in the real world.
CANDIDATES
- Hazel Blears (Labour)
- Norman Owen (Lib Dem)
- Matthew Sephton (Cons)
- Tina Wingfield (BNP)
- Steven Morris (Eng Dem)
- Robert Wakefield (UKIP)
- Richard Carvath (Indep)
- David Henry (Indep)
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