Thread by @GreenEmmaB

Festive hustings here at st Johns Methodist church in #Whitchurch. #libdems @helenhalcrow up first with introduction. Time for #NorthShropshire to stop being taken for granted, support farmers & invest in rail & buses.

Next @DuncanKer . Talks about his experience in local govt as a social workerchief exec. Moved to #NorthShropshire in 2012, made a rundown chapel into an arts & community centre. Elected first #green on #oswestry town & then @ShropCouncil . Lists some campaigns, agst fracking,

Agst NHS cuts,& trying to save the ambulance station. In May 2021 @TheGreenParty was the only one to win seats in #NorthShropshire . Now 12 of 18 seats on #oswestry town council. #Greens can win elections & when they do people vote for more.

.@DuncanKer will only take the average local salary if elected. It's not enough for new MP to say they won't have a second job.

@DrNShastriHurst #tories followed by @btwodo #labour completes the intros.

Q1: if Tory elected will he oppose a #HouseOfLords place for Owen Paterson. #tory candidate says not a matter for him, speaks about priorities - more staff for NHS, support for business & the people of #NorthShropshire

Q2 from #ukip candidate who was not invited speaks from floor. Q addressed to labour but inaudible. @btwodo says #labour would scrap business rates

Q3: is the NHS worth fighting for or is it time to privatise? (May be a ref to an article by @DrNShastriHurst ).
@DuncanKer replies first - yes it's worth fighting for & we must fight for it. Already seeing creeping privatisation, #health and social care bill will increase that.

Other countries in #Europe spend more on health than we do.

@DrNShastriHurst says yes worth fighting for. Important thing is high quality care. Talks about investment & tough decisions.

@helenhalcrow says need to support NHS staff. Manage resources better. Also need reform of social care to work with health care. Against privatisation.

Q4: baroness meacher's bill on assisted suicide did not reach a vote, how would candidates have voted on it?

@helenhalcrow supports w safeguards for vulnerable people. @DrNShastriHurst this is challenging. It will come but he wasn't supportive of the meacher bill. @btwodo yes would have supported & sought to add safeguards. Prefer govt bill not private member.'s

.@DuncanKer has experience as a hospice social worker. Learnt a lot including the importance of agency, people having control of what happens to them. With safeguards of course.

Q5 about corruption in public life. "We are being mocked".
Problems with sound quality, candidates choosing not to use mic.

@DuncanKer,: there's too much of a gulf between us & politicians. Revolving doors between politics & boardrooms . To restore trust we need someone who has been working locally.; Not who arrives when £80k is on offer. Pledges to hold surgeries locally & take only average wage.

.@DrNShastriHurst says it's not just an issue for one party(?) Refers to previous MP John Biffen as a model. That was a long time ago!

Q6: do you support women's rights to women-,only spaces?
@DrNShastriHurst supports single sex wards, prisons and toilets.
@helenhalcrow the threat to women's safety is from a small minority of dangerous men.

.@DuncanKer two women a week are killed in domestic violence. Women need a place of refuge & women-only spaces.

Q7. About children needing food from charities
@DuncanKer 4.3million children live in poverty, this affects their life chances. Inequality is growing, we're becoming less not more equal. Desperate shortage of truly affordable housing. This affects us all.

Q what has been the govt's biggest achievement & mistake since #GE 2019. Asks for brief answers
@btwodo criticises way the pandemic was handled. He supports some measures to help first time house buyers.

.,@DuncanKer says achievement was to establish domestic violence as a specific crime, will save lives
Failure - as well as pandemic the main one is on #climatecrisis. Many egs, reducing duty on domestic flights, lack of urgency ,& leadership. Still supporting oil ,& gas.

.@helenhalcrow praises vaccine rollout but criticises waste of ££ on #PPE and lack of leadership on restrictions eg last Christmas.

Q. Huge rise in mental health problems among young people. What are the causes & what can be done,?
@helenhalcrow & @DrNShastriHurst both mention covid lockdowns & social media. Neither mentions what can be done (unless I missed it)

.@DuncanKer says children's mental health services were a problem before covid; though that made things worse.
Youth services have been decimated, young people need access to trusted adults. Mentions a girl at recent school hustings who raised this . Young people very aware .

Next q also on this from a young person - what will you do to help young people who have no safe spaces?
Tory & Lib Dem mention levelling up fund which Shropshire hadn't received. Helen talks about county lines.

Duncan says @ShropCouncil should provide youth services but has mismanaged finances. Also has more looked after children.
Council must invest in youth services; start with cancelling north west road & using those funds. Invest in young people.

Q is it important for the candidate to live in the county. Duncan says no one should be ruled out but it's a big advantage to live locally and to have held an elected post
Ben agrees, he is local and it's up to the voters to choose.

Neil says it's important to have a representative who understands the issues & will work hard.

Q about gender pay gap & working hours for men & women. Helen says she knows about balancing work & childcare, plus working from home in pandemic. She is hopeful after covid that employers will allow men to work more flexibly ,& from home. Wants more flexibility.

Neil has a baby son. Agrees more flexibility needed
Ben says better reporting needed to address women's pay. Plus flexibility & opportunities.

Duncan says #equalpayact hasn't worked.
Does nothing about poorly paid sectors that are predominantly female eg social care. Needs a new Act for real equality.

And that's a wrap! Chair thanks the candidates. Next event is @BBCShropshire at 10 am tomorrow, call in with your question .bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0b…