We’re here at Denton Community College for tonight’s Denton and Reddish hustings. Gary Lawson from @StockportGreens ,@FarminLordDave from @Official_MRLP , @DominicHardwick from @LibDems and Martin Power from @brexitparty_uk are here. @GwynneMP and Iain Bott are not attending. 
Martin Power says that he’s concerned the direction the country is taking and wants to involve local people in politics. He wants to build relationships with the commonwealth and build up the NHS.
Dominic Hardwick begins by noting the absence of the Labour and Conservative candidates, saying @GwynneMP is doing a disservice to his constituents. He says that the Labour Party takes the vote for granted.
FLD - “it’s a protest vote if you want to vote for me, I am the ‘none of the above’”. He says politics has become too divided and we need to bring ourselves back together.
GL: says he always wanted to be politically active and couldn’t get married to his same sex partner during his time as a vicar. He believes the most important issues facing everyone is the climate emergency “the other parties had a chance to act and just deferred things”
GL - I’ve been greatly inspired by Greta Thunberg who said nobody is too small to make a difference.
An audience member asks if elected what would you do to combat the climate emergency?
GL - Green Party commutes to spending £100bn a year on green new deal which insulated houses, promotes renewable energy, phasing out diesel and petrol cars, moving to a more plant based diet, introduce a frequent flyer levy @StockportGreens
MP: the Brexit party were the first to commit to planting trees. We’re concerned about how we deal with waste. Instead of transferring it abroad we should deal here. Huge organisations need an environmental officer who’s sole purpose is how they deal with the environment.
DH : we need to insulate everyone’s home properly which will reduce our carbon footprint. By 2030 80% of our energy will come from renewable and well ban fracking completely. Well make our transport systems more environmentally friendly- rail electrification rolled out across UK
FLD - we’d get all air conditioning units and turn them around to blow outside to reduce global warming. Ban shoes made of coal to reduce the carbon footprint.
Next up is a question about the two missing candidates
FLD: it’s not on is it. We all have to make sacrifices to be here. For them to not be here tonight or not to send a representative is not good.
GL: it would’ve been a much better debate if they were here but they’re not and we’ve got to make the best of it. I wish there were more in the audience as well but it’s no good moaning.
MP: they’re not having a good time in the media and they don’t want to mess up. Their own mps have to have security to go to their own conferences. Andrew doesn’t want to face the music and difficult questions on why he supports Jeremy corbyn.
Dh: it shows contempt for the electorate that labour and Andrew aren’t here. There are 21 labour councillors in this constituency and none have been sent. The conservatives have been ducking debate. Boris Johnson ran away from Andrew Neil. They’re afraid of honest voices
An audience member asks if 52 percent of people in the referendum voted for Brexit does that mean they should have 100% of their own way or just 52%?
“Isn’t it civilzed to come to a compromise?”
Dh- we’ve got an almost even split between Brexit and remain in this country. I think it’s a catastrophic mistake to ignore the 48%. We need to have an election that’s based around Brexit and not muddy other ideas. Lib Dem’s want a vote on a final deal.
FLD - lets have a referendum about having another referendum. If that says let’s stay then that’s 1-1. It’s bizarre, especially in this constituency that voted leave, that we have an MP that hasn’t done that. If I got in 2017 I’d have asked everyone what they want.
GL- it’s a horrible divisive issue and we’re in a terrible mess in it. It divides political parties and friends and family. Best way forward is once we have a final deal to vote to accept the deal or remain. I would be in favour of remain but I’d accept the result
MP- we already had a vote, the loser had to respect the vote. The parties in Westminster have tried to overturn the will of the British people. We spent millions explaining what leave meant. We’ll be in charge of our own laws and borders. That’s what leave meant.
A member of the audience asks if anyone knew what they were voting for with Brexit. How can you base a decision on something you haven’t got the facts about?
MP - of course they knew what they were doing. It’s like saying let’s re run the general election. The British people are not that naive. My kids don’t agree with me and my stance. We should respect the vote, that is democratic and we have no right to do so.
Dh - I would say people knew what they were voting for but the problem is there are so many ways to leave the EU. People arguing between soft Brexit, hard Brexit and customs union. Whatever Brexit happens a majority of people will be unhappy. 48% of people wanted to remain.
FLD - of course they knew.
GL- I’m sure people knew what they were voting for but there were quite a number who were unsure of how to vote. Since then it’s become clear there was misinformation and that lies were told. Social media was targeted at people. People know more now.
An audience member says that some remainers differ in their wants. Could it be said that some people are pro eu and want close ties and others that want a loser arrangement but stay in EU? The remain vote is just as diverse as the leave.
How would each party have a mandate to cancel Brexit?
GL - I would be against remaining in the EU without a second vote. To be fair to them we have to have a second vote. We can’t ignore 52%
MP- were not saying we don’t want close ties with the EU, we just want to decide our own laws and open up to the rest of the world. We want control over gas and electricity prices that we don’t have under the EU. We can cancel VAT on domestic fuel out of the EU
DH - We campaigned in 2011 to change to a fairer voting system and the people rejected that at the time. If that’s what the public decided that’s what we’ll go with. We believe in more proportionate representation. If they voted for us that would be a mandate to change things.
FLD - I’m in favour of proportional representation. The way the system is now when I get one more vote than the encumbent and everyone gets a free donkey that’s not fair on the others is it.
An audience member says that we’re sat in a school so what are we doing about education, especially as we move to automation in business, how are older people going to reskill?
FLD - we’d put dartboards in every school class to teach times tables, putting two lessons into one. We’d make class sizes smaller by making everyone sit closer together.
GL - the green new deal would provide for more jobs and to do those jobs people would need training. There will be many new jobs to be created but there will be less work to do, we need to share out the work to do and have universal basic income so everyone can live securely
MP- education is important. Those kids that are naturally gifted need to be given opportunities to reach what they can reach. We need to sit down with the experts and listen to schools who’ll tell us what they want and do what’s best for the kids.
DH- we need to stop thinking about education as something that just happens at school. People should be able to learn through life. We want to make £10k available to everyone to take new courses and learn new skills. Especially as older industries die back.
An audience member asks abou homelessness and mental health and how it will be tackled
DH - at the moment councils aren’t interested in preventing it, just doing things after they are. Universal credit needs to not have delays. The Lib Dem’s would build 100k Social Homes a year. Mental health should be given parity with physical health. Access is always available
FLD - it’s a travesty 6th largest economy has homeless people. I’ve known people who have become homeless through drugs. We’ve lost the war on drugs let’s not lose it on drug users.
GL - some people become homeless due to short term tenancies despite being in work. We should give them homes first then sort out any problems they might have.
MP - no easy answers but we need to recruit more mental health nurses. We Need more nurse bursaries to build up the NHS.
An audience member asks about the candidates who are here would improve the NHS
MP - Brexit party would invest in nhs and keep it free at point of use. 50% of GPS are not up to scratch, they need more investment. When we leave the eu we will have more to invest in the nhs. It all needs to be rethought with the proper funding put in place.
DH - we want to put 1p on I come tax to raise money the NHS needs. Would raise £7bn a year ringfenced for health care. Part will go to social care to keep people out of hospital. Big problem will be Brexit. Were erecting walls saying Britain is closed but doctors come from abroad
FLD - I think your man trump has said today he’s not interested. With the NHS you need to turn the taps on but put the plug in to stop the waste. All politicians need to get together and do a long term funding strategy instead of differing ideas
GL - it’s a funding problem. Green Party would invest £6bn a year in NHS. We need to end all privatization in health service. We need to prioritise mental health. Working in nhs is stressful so need to recruit and make nhs a fulfilling place to work for people here and abroad
An audience member asks what they will do about rising crime levels
GL - issue is that cuts to police need to be reversed and policing needs to be community based. Prevent crime by people having jobs and homes so they don’t need to turn to criminal activity. If people are jailed there needs to be restorative justice and rehabilitation.
MP - we need to get into young people to stop crime. I think that rather than wait for people to commit crimes we should be in schools talking about drugs, crime etc. Criminals are not worried about being caught on the street. ASB is on the rise.Need more police in our community
DH - we need to make sure people enforcing have the resources they need. More police officers. Recruit 20k new officers. We need to prevent and deter by giving people more options in life. Use time in prison to properly rehabilitate people
FLD - we’d put a pair of stocks in every village which would improve the stock market as well. Unruly youths will be superglued together because if you can’t beat them you might as well join them.
An audience member asks about people with physical disabilities, those on benefits and the poor and how he feels the DWP have criminalised them. What do you think of the treatment of people by dwp.
FLD - they’ve been scapegoated by the system.
GL - the way disabled people have been treated with in past years has been appalling. Green Party policy is universal basic income with extra for those with disabilities. Needs to be properly adapted housing and those that can work need opportunities for that to happen.
MP- absolutely awful. Terrible the way disabled people have been treated. Assessed by a company who have a financial incentive to get people off benefits. Brexit party would overhaul the whole system within 12 months. We should be a compassionate company who cares for vulnerable
DH- problem is universal credit and delays in paying it. ATOS treating people like criminals and assuming people are lying to them to scam the system. Government has its priorities wrong clawing money back from the bottom instead of the top. We should get rid of the whole lot.
An audience member asks if there is enough done for young people in the area?
DH- there isn’t enough for kids to do. Not enough money in that system and local authority cuts should’ve been stopped. Education doesn’t stop at the school gate it’s about facilities and youth clubs that help people enjoy themselves.
FLD - it’s all volunteers that run these sorts of things now. We lost a lot of sports provision in Denton when two trees was shut. Everything is now focussed elsewhere.
GL - needs to be far more provision. Cuts need to be reversed. Loca authority could do more to help parents and groups who want to put on things for youth people. They could make sure that happens and offer support. Teachers are under so much stress they can’t run after school
MP- they’re the forgotten generation. When austerity came all the services disappeared. We want to invest in local communities and build up towns. Stop £100bn on HS2 and invest it in the north so that our children have things to look forward to. We need to get people involved.
A Denton resident asks what key issues there are locally
MP- people need to feel safe at home. More police on the streets. Invest in our local Bobby. Rebuild our town centres. Scrap hs2 which would only benefit a few. Invest that locally. We want people to be proud of the local community
DH - knocking on doors the biggest issues have been crime and a feeling Denton is being left behind by the city of Manchester. Connecting denton better with the rest of manchester. Transport links essential to improve. We’ve got a metro link network that could easily be extended
FLD - were in a school right next to a motorway near one of its biggest bottlenecks. Pollution in the middle of Denton must be bobbins. Bradbury parkway I’ve been against since day one. We need better buses to Stockport, the train station opening or linked to guide bridge.
FLD - we’d also open our intergalactic space station here.
GL - the buses don’t go where we need them to go. The area isn’t well maintained with litter and dog fouling. Speeding cars linked to people who come to deal drugs. Could all be solved by police and loca authority if they were properly funded.
An audience member asks about small business and the decline of the high street. In Denton there’s 7 thai massage parlours, lots of kebab shops. What other businesses do we need local and does anyone have a better plan than a laminated award with your mps face on
GL - it is a struggle for small businesses. Green Party believes in land value tax over business tax. We’re in favour of small businesses not big business. We need to make sure they feel part of the community and involved in the changes society needs to make. Recycle & repair
DH - again I agree with greens. I run a small business with my dad and land value tax could really help small businesses. We would seek to readdress the imbalance by going after amazon to ensure they pay their fair share of tax
FLD - the loca authority didn’t help small business when Morrison’s moved to Denton. In Yorkshire they have the main supermarkets outside the centres. There were plans for years ago to pedestrianise Manchester road but nothing ever came of it. People can get stuff online too easy
MP - we need to give people opportunity to open their own business. Brexit party would abolish business rates and instead have an online tax. Give small businesses chance to grow and take on staff. Have the local people involved in the planning on what business can open
An audience member asks about community groups and about privatisation of school facilities meaning the cost of hire has gone up.
FLD - you’ve got 20 acres in Haughton Green lay there doing nothing. A massive field that used to have 3 football pitches. Basketball tennis all left to waste. We campaigned to keep it open and promote kids playing there but noting came about because of a repressive council
GL - schools and churches and local authorities work in the main for the good of their community. The moment it goes to a private company they have to make sure they make a profit. Green Party want to properly fund local services and are against privatisation.
MP - local govnerment and national should fund these services. It’s a real issue. Subsidised by local government to help meet the costs of these private companies would be a positive step forward.
DH - for all our voluntary services Rely on goodwill. The government needs to subsidise that. I don’t know specific answer but it could mean private companies have to let community groups use them at discounted rates. Shouldn’t be sold off to private in the first place
An audience member asks how these ideas will be funded, Brexit aside.
DH - Lib Dem’s our 1p on income tax to raise £7bn. Reform the way companies taxed. Corporation tax back up to 20%. Go after multi nationals and close loopholes where profits are offshored. By removing ability to do that will make sure they have to pay tax.
FLD - Dave has left his seat to hand out million pound notes which will fix the economy.
Im now the proud owner of said £1,000,000 note.
GL - Green Party will raise taxation and stop tax evasion. Tax investment same as income tax. Save unnecessary expenditure like trident, HS2 and help to buy.
MP - other parties are trying to buy you off with borrowing. Cancelling HS2 will save £100bn. We’d halve the foreign aid budget and invest back into the economy.
An audience member asks about honesty in politics. What practice steps can be taken to improve politics
MP - our policies are a contract with the people. We believe honest politics is about delivering what you say. Career politicians have lost what it’s like in the real world. They sell to us like salesmen. Don’t send them back this time.
DH - we need a fairer voting system. We need to look at the media to call politicians on their lies. Leveson needs to be implemented. Give public service broadcasters the duty to call a lie a lie.
FLD - I think we’re all in agreement we need a fairer voting system to bring trust back into it.
GL ; I’ve had contact with extinction rebellion and have been influenced by their ideas on peaceful protest. Introduce citizens assemblies where their decisions are taken seriously by local government.
An audience member asks if you could change anything what would it be
GL - the way that we travel. We could easily do it and it would go a long way to help the environment. More waking and cycling, spend a lot less time in our cars.
MP : change every politician in the country to someone who would represent the people.
DH - I would remain in the European Union
FLD - I would change my socks. Everyone has got to be nicer. Peace, love and laughter together. When elected I will have a ministry of fun. People need to get on and when we get on things get done. I’d abolish negativity (a round of applause from the audience)
Audience member asks who would your party negotiate with if no majority.
FLD - our party leader is GB’s longest serving party leader ever. We’re quite happy to work with other parties, the pirate party.
GL - we are more concerned with policies than parties or personalities. I think it would be easier to talk to Lib Dem’s and labour than conservatives. Do what needs to be done to tackle climate change.
MP - it would depend on what party is in power. Our leader would depend on who is elected. Farage is our leader. We would work with anyone to leave the EU
DH - we would not put corbyn or Johnson in office. Corbyn is a security risk and Boris Johnson is a serial liar. They would have to look change their leaders and accept our red lines on a referendum for EU
Closing remarks coming up now
DH - only four parties that standing in this election have shown you the courtesy to show up. Labour haven’t. Conservatives haven’t. Labour are afraid of scrutiny. Scared people will be able to unmask their hard truths. This election will go down in history as the Brexit election
DH - there are only three parties clear on Brexit. The Lib Dem’s have the strongest chance to remain
FLD - all I ask is you got out and vote. That’s the only reason I’m here. If you’ve got no one to vote for you can vote for me or do the usual trick or drawing a penis. It does lighten the mood when an election agent sees it.
FLD - the north is important. HS2 should be scrapped unless it’s going all the way to the Falkland Islands. Just go out and vote and enjoy it while you’re doing it. Incentivise people to vote. No representatives from either of the two main parties, it’s amazing and sad
GL - the Green Party is funded by donations from its members. We don’t get money from big business so we can be trusted to do the right thing on climate change. We don’t believe in maximising economic growth at any cost. It should be focussed on wellbeing in society
GL- we would increase borrowing to tackle the climate emergency. There are risks but some borrowing is good. I believe it’s a good investment at this time to spend what we need to tackle climate change
MP - I’d like to thank everyone for turning up. I’m very disappointed in labour and the conservatives. We’re here because parliament has failed us. It’s been remain. Wether you remain or leave, a democratic vote was made. If you value democracy then you want to vote Brexit
MP- we need some honest MP’s in the parliament who will hold the Tories to account. We need to look at our democracy as if we fail to leave the EU then democracy is broken. We should leave for our kids sake and stop having the world laughing at our broken parliament.
And with that we’re done! The chair thanks the audience and the panel and brings this evenings hustings to a close. Many thanks to @WeActTogether for organising.
