ELECTION SPECIAL: Opposition Parliamentary Candidates for Scarborough & Whitby

The five pretenders to Robert GOODWILL’s seat at Westminster have all submitted to the North Yorks Enquirer Letters to the Editor, introducing themselves and their respective policies to the electorate in the constituency of Scarborough and Whitby, outlining their policies and aspirations.

Here, readers can access all five Letters, in alphabetical order, in a single convenient location.

Please feel free to share this page, via email and social-media, throughout the constituency. Thank you.

BE THE CHANGE!

MICHAEL BECKETT – representing the Liberal Democrat Party

A Letter to the Editor from Michael BECKETT – the Liberal Democrat Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for the Scarborough & Whitby constituency, introduces himself and presents his case for election.

Dear Editor,

I appreciate the opportunity to introduce myself in a letter to your readers.

I had the pleasure of meeting Abigail, my wife of 14 years, whilst we were at University. I was studying Politics and Economics at the University of London, and she was studying Archaeology. I thought seriously about going into politics at the time, but I disliked career politicians who lacked any real world experience, so I determined to work hard in a variety of areas in order to learn better how things really work.

I have been open about problems that I experienced as a child from abuse, and that they caused me quite some difficulties for some time (for more on my background libdems.org.uk/Michael_Beckett ). Recovery motivated me to help other people resolve their problems, especially to speak truth to power and to stand up to people in authority. I try to do this in a constructive way, picking my battles in order to get the best results for people.

Having been a Citizens Advice Bureau Manager, I have often helped people overcome practical problems. Having worked as a nursing assistant in the NHS in mental health, and later run a mental health charity, I know that mental wellbeing is just as important as physical health in order to prevent problems from re-occurring. I believe in treating people with respect. I believe in giving people a chance to do the right thing. I believe politics is about solving problems, and most of the time, people aren’t very bothered about politics, unless they encounter a problem.

It is always important to ask, who funds a politician’s campaign? Whoever it is, be it trade unions or millionaires, those who provide the money tend to control what gets done. Liberal Democrats are proud to rely on local fundraising.

The Liberal Democrats believe that putting people first and releasing them from the problems that hold them back enables them to be free to seek to achieve their potential and to live a more fulfilling life! It also sets us apart from the other parties, whose very constitution quite pointedly, don’t start with a statement of values, but instead of power and existence. The Labour and Conservative parties’ constitutions put serving themselves first, and, within the first two points, state that everything else is clearly secondary to the main purposes of existence and power. Whereas the Liberal Democrat constitution begins:  

• “The Liberal Democrats exist to build and safeguard a fair, free and open society, in which we seek to balance the fundamental values of liberty, equality and community, and in which no one shall be enslaved by poverty, ignorance and conformity.”

Our statement of values is about making things better, to help people. It is not about existing for power or political might. I for one, would rather lose and do the right thing, than win and do the wrong thing. In order to build the free, fair and open society of our ambitions, to keep it safe, and free for people to be who they could be, we have to be able to actually do something about it. Our values are for putting into action. Striking a moderate sensible balance on emotive issues is a big challenge, and with the tension between values, differing peoples’ views and our mutual interdependence, a compromise is often the least worst solution.

I wish to thank the North Yorkshire Enquirer, and the citizen journalists that they work alongside, who have uncovered truths, held people wielding power to account, and challenged a culture of secrecy – particularly Nigel Ward.

I invite you to keep up to date with what I am doing on different social media platforms. I am Likeable on Facebook.com/MichaelBeckettEsq and followable on twitter.com/Mike_Beckett . Soon we plan to start a staggered launch of policies on the the about to be launched webpage MichaelBeckett.4MP.org.uk which will be updated with policies throughout the campaign.

For a fairer society, we need more straight talking, no nonsense people, people who are not afraid to see or speak the truth for fear of offending, people getting involved in politics to bring real change. I ask you to join me in voting for Liberal Democrats and putting local people first.

Yours sincerely,

Mike Beckett

~~~~~

Cllr Michael BECKETT BA DipIoD

Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for the people of Scarborough, Whitby & the Esk Valley.

http://scarboroughandwhitbylibdems.org.uk

Scarboroughlibdems@outlook.com

Whitbylibdems@outlook.com

Followable on: Twitter: @mike_Beckett

Likeable on: Facebook.com/michaelbeckettesq

Watchable on: Instagram.com/mikebeckettesq

My experienced career background: Uk.LinkedIn.com/in/MichaelBeckettEsq

Subscribable to on: YouTube.com/subscription_centre?add_user=MichaelbBecketteEsq

P.S. If you’re not already a member, may I ask you to consider joining the Liberal Democrats by firstly checking out what we believe: http://www.libdems.org.uk/constitution and then consider: http://www.libdems.org.uk/join and lastly I ask you to lend me your support and vote for me this time.

JULIET BODDINGTON – representing the Alliance for Green Socialism:

A Letter to the Editor from Juliet BODDINGTON – the Alliance for Green Socialism Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for the Scarborough & Whitby constituency, introduces herself and presents his case for election.

Dear Mr Editor,

Please allow me to introduce my campaign to the electorate.

The Alliance for Green Socialism was originally formed by a number of Socialist activists after Tony Blair high-jacked the Labour Party and turned it into New Tory. We aim to bring honesty, integrity and principle back into politics so that it cannot be said that all politicians are the same; using their contacts and positions to line their pockets to the detriment of 99% of the population.

I am one of these socialists and have been fighting for fairness and justice for all for well over 30 years. To start with, we need to bring the NHS, transport, fuel and water back into public ownership. We need accountability – our taxes should never be spent without this.

I am particularly passionate about civil liberties and the covert removal of our rights in the name of ‘terrorism’. The most recent concern is the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) currently being negotiated between the European commission and the United States. It is unprecedented in its scale and would be a significant threat to democracy if agreed. Should this horror occur, our government would need to declare any exemptions such as the NHS, education and the like in advance. So far this has not happened.

Don’t waste your vote by casting it to support the greed and selfishness of the few which Margaret Thatcher encouraged and others happily followed. I get told that it is just human nature, but we have many more fine facets in our make- up which are evident everywhere. You have another choice in this election!

Yours, etc.

Juliet Boddington

Juliet BODDINGTON, Whitby. 29th April, 2015.

SAM CROSS – representing the United Kingdom Independence Party:

A Letter to the Editor from Sam CROSS (from whom we have heard before) – the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for the Scarborough & Whitby constituency introduces himself and presents his case for election.

Dear Mister Editor,

Having followed the North Yorks Enquirer since it started in June last year, and the previous incarnation of Real Whitby, I’m in full support of your campaign to expose wasteful spending, malpractice and corruption in local authorities. I feel that these are values in which I and many members of the Scarborough & Whitby branch of the UK Independence Party share.

I’ve been particularly disturbed by your uncovering of the lack of investigation by North Yorkshire Police into the activities of Jaconelli and Savile. It seems that “Say Nothing, Do Nothing” seems to have been the policy of the North Yorkshire Police, Scarborough Borough Council and both the Scarborough and Whitby branches of the Conservative and Labour Party for decades. Disgusting.

I threw my hat in the ring for the position of Prospective Parliamentary Candidate and was adopted by the Scarborough & Whitby branch of the UK Independence Party in November 2014.

Let me tell you a little bit about myself.

I’ve been a Councillor for 10 years. I was motivated to run because of massive over-development on a local housing estate. I felt that people were not being listened to. I originally campaigned on opposing wasteful spending and for much needed local government transparency.

My commitment to opposing wasteful spending has included the highlighting of wasteful spending at Scarborough Borough Council, where council officers are being paid as much as £19.67 per mile, which looks set to continue unabated. Elect more UKIP Councillors and we will bring this to a juddering halt.

At North Yorkshire County Council I have campaigned for a reduction in Councillor allowances, against the Allerton incinerator and against the implementation of the Whitby Park-&-Ride, which led to an additional tax so you have to pay to park outside your own home in Whitby.

I’m currently the UKIP leader on both North Yorkshire County and Scarborough Borough Councils and we will continue our relentless pursuit of getting good value for money out of our local authorities, should you decide to elect us in Scarborough, Whitby and Filey.

My commitment to opposing wasteful spending, particularly the expenses of elected members, stretches back well before the MP Expenses Crisis of 2009. During my time as a local authority elected member, I’ve not claimed one penny in expenses whilst serving my constituents. I believe in leading by example.

I still feel that there is far too much government bureaucracy and the people are still not being listened to, which is one of the reasons I want to be your Member of Parliament.

One of the key issues of the forthcoming election is going to be immigration. The effects of 13 years of Labour and 5 years of Tory and Lib Dem unfettered immigration were sharply felt in January at Scarborough Hospital. Years of underfunding led to the hospital declaring a Major Incident. Too many patients and not enough front line staff to cope.

Our local hospitals must get parity of funding with similar hospitals to ensure the local healthcare system meets the demands of the local population.

UKIP are pledging to cut international development aid and redirect £3billion of those funds into the NHS. UKIP will ensure the NHS is free at the point of delivery and time of need for all UK residents.

Remember, 5.9% of the NHS has already been privatised. 4.4% (or 75% of it) was privatised under the last Labour government with 1.5% (or 25%) privatised by the current Tory / Lib Dem coalition. Only UKIP can protect the NHS.

One divisive policy of the current Tory and Lib Dem coalition was to increase tuition fees for students from £3,000 per annum to £9,000 per annum. Nick Clegg stabbed students in the back. Ten years ago Tony Blair’s Labour Government did the same and increased tuition fees for students from £1,000 per annum to £3,000 per annum.

The result of the Lib/Lab/Con interventions on student tuition fees has led to a skill shortage in the UK, which was filled through immigration. Increasingly, our 16-24s are being stuck in an “Economically Inactive” category and left to rot. With the high prices of tuition fees we are not giving them a route into skilled jobs.

UKIP propose to remove tuition fees for students taking approved degrees in science, medicine, technology, engineering, maths on the condition that they live, work and pay tax in the UK for five years after the completion of their degrees.

Another of UKIPs more high-profile policies is scrapping the HS2 project, which is set to cost £70billion. Delivering only a 20 minute decrease in journey time from Birmingham to London, the scale of the waste of public money is staggering. Not one of the other major parties opposes this waste.

If HS2 is scrapped, we may well see funds for the long-awaited dualling of the A64, which would vastly improve the economy of the Borough. You won’t see the A64 dualled under Goodwill. The Department for Transport, where Goodwill is a minister, have outlined spending plans until 2021 and the A64 is definitely not included.

A vote for UKIP is also a vote for an EU referendum. It is time we had our say about the Brussels Bureaucrats. This most important vote has been denied you by the three major parties. Don’t let the Lib/Lab/Con deny you again.

As you know, on May 7th both Parliamentary and Borough Council elections are being held. You have the chance to sack Goodwill and install an MP who will work for the majority in the constituency.

You also have the chance to remove the Tory Town Hall majority – who are hell-bent on demolishing the Futurist – and install Councillors who will work for the good of the Borough, not their cronies.

Seize that chance. Give us your vote. UKIP will start the process of change and get our towns, our Borough and this country back on their feet.

Yours faithfully,

Sam Cross,

UKIP PPC Scarborough & Whitby

Sam CROSS, Filey. 19th March, 2015.

DAVID MALONE – representing the Green Party:

A Letter to the Editor from David MALONE – the Green Party Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for the Scarborough & Whitby constituency, introduces himself and presents his case for election.

Dear Mr Editor,

I’m the Green Party candidate for Scarborough and Whitby. My background is in science. For the last 25 years I have made science documentaries for BBC and C4. In 2010 I wrote a book about the Financial crash. I now write one of this country’s larger and more respected financial blogs. In the Green party I am one of the people that specialises in finance. I have lived with my wife and three boys in Scarborough since 2003 and continue to make documentaries.

The Green Party believes that our political and financial system is broken and it is time to stop tinkering and time – long past time – to find the courage to build something new, something that actually works.

From Thatcherism to New Labour I have heard the same promises and policies repeated over and over and watched them bring us to where we are today – the deepest and longest recession since the Great Depression. The major parties tell us they will fix it for us if we just vote for them one more time. If they were going to fix things they have a generation to do it. They haven’t.

They all tell us that there is just no money left and everything must be cut back, sold off or closed. And yet not one of the major parties has done anything meaningful about making the tax dodging corporations pay the tax they have not paid us for years. Make them pay and we would raise far in excess of 40 Billion pounds over the next parliament. A very small financial transaction tax on every trade made in the City would raise another £40 billion-plus. A modest wealth tax on the richest few percent would raise over £35 billion. There is plenty of money, but none of the major parties have raised a hand to get it. Perhaps they don’t want to bite the hand that funds them? The Green Party has no such conflict of interests.

The means to solve the present crisis, without doing so on the back of the poorest, are lying unused. But the traditional parties are either lost, afraid or bought and paid for. They are in a dead end. One faces left, the other right and they argue about which way to go. But none of them are going anywhere.

I believe the day of reformist politics is over and we either fix our democracy or learn to grovel. Zero hours contracts; 900,000 people using food banks last year; 18 million pounds a day being sucked out of the NHS into profit seeking private companies and nothing whatsoever done to reign in the banks or stop another housing bubble which is already growing.

This is happening on our watch. Not comfortably far off in the future, but now. What will we say to our children? We were too busy watching tele? We didn’t know? We do know. No-one is going to fix our wonderful nation for us. All it is going to take to change our lives and our society is for ordinary people to do extraordinary things. We have done it before in our history. I believe we can do it again.

Yours, etc.

David

David MALONE, Scarborough. 23rd April, 2015.

 IAN McINNES – representing the Labour Party:

A Letter to the Editor from Ian McINNES – the Labour Party Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for the Scarborough & Whitby constituency, appealing for readers support in his bid to deliver real change for Whitby and Scarborough.

Dear Mr Editor,

Having read through your website, I have been very impressed with the level of scrutiny that you provide to those in public office. I support a free press and you clearly offer an alternative view. I wish you all the best and will do what I can to encourage and support you.

I’d like to introduce myself to your readers, to tell you about myself, why I am standing for Labour and what my priorities are. 

I grew up in the Esk Valley.  Playing on the moors was an amazing childhood and gave me a real sense of adventure, which I was fortunate to experience again in my working life. We lived in Lealholm, Goathland, Sandsend and Whitby, before I moved to Scarborough to go to college.

Once I had finished college, I looked around and saw no opportunities, no career prospects, just low paid seasonal work. I wanted to experience something else.

I became an outdoor pursuits instructor.  It took me to Wales, The Lake District, Scotland, France, Italy and Spain. It was brilliant. Working with children and young people to introduce them to the outdoors was so rewarding. Developing their confidence, challenging them, allowing them to experience success and failure whilst being in the natural environment. It was powerful for them – and it was powerful for me.

But I started to question it. Was it really making a lasting difference?  Were the changes permanent? They were still leaving the outdoor centres, and going back to home environments with all the pressures caused by difficult family lives. I realised that it wasn’t enough to change their state of mind; change was also needed to the environment they were growing up in.  

I guess it was inevitable.  I started getting involved in wider community issues. A job offer in London, led me to setting up a youth and community scheme that ran across London. This used the outdoors as part of a programme that linked up young people with volunteering activities and fundraising for local charities.

But I realised that a lot of small initiatives would only scratch the surface.  More was needed.  I realised that our initiatives need to be backed by Government – and rolled out across the country.  I realised too that I wanted to be part of making that happen.

I also knew that Labour was my Party, had my values, had my ideals.  I knew what I wanted chimed with Labour’s values. 

Labour cares passionately about all the things that I knew were wrong back home: 

• Tory cuts
• Allegations of corruption.
• Lack of funding for the piers and sea defenses in Scarborough and Whitby.
• Fire stations at risk.
• Rural doctors surgeries at risk of closing.
• The real possibility that Whitby hospital services be run by Virgin.
• Large chains forcing smaller business to close down.
• Unfair parking restrictions being imposed.
• VAT hitting the hospitality business hard.
• The rise of food banks.
• The wipe out of bus services.

These things are happening and they are happening now. It is an absolute disgrace the way that the people of our Towns and villages are being treated. Decisions are being taken without proper consultation, without truly engaging people. People’s voices are not being heard. This has to change and it has to change now.

And I knew too that Labour cares about selling off our national treasures; the NHS; the Royal Mail; our Railways; even our national forests. All of these things are so important for me.

These are tough times! This was it. I wanted change!  I wanted to get stuck in where I had grown up and where I call home. I was successful in the Labour Party selection and am now the Labour candidate.  In September last year, I moved back to Whitby.

We NEED change, and I will be fighting hard to make that change happen. 

On May the 7^th, we have the chance. With the Borough Council and Parliamentary elections on the same day.

On May 7^th the Borough Council and Parliamentary elections are all taking place. All of our local politicians will be held accountable for their previous actions. This is our chance to get rid of Goodwill as our MP and get the Tories out of Scarborough Town Hall. This is democracy and it’s brilliant!

I’d encourage your readers to take a long hard look at how they can be a part of making the change we need to see. It’s not voting Green, It’s not voting UKIP, it’s not Voting Lib Dem, and it’s not voting Tory. It’s voting for me. For Labour. For an MP that will keep fighting, that is open, honest and transparent.

The stakes are high.  Let’s be clear what they are.

On May 8^th we will have either a Conservative led government – or a Labour led government.  Too many people think that it doesn’t matter which it is.  That’s just not true.

The choice is between a Conservative Government who will privatise the NHS – or a Labour Government that puts patient needs before private profit.

A Conservative Government that finds money for tax cuts for millionaires while raising VAT for ordinary families – or a Labour Government that will levy a mansion tax on the rich to pay for 8,000 more doctors and 20,000 more nurses and health workers.

A Conservative Government that CUTS the budget for flood protection or a Labour Government that will PRIORITISE flood protection….

I could go on . . . and hopefully you will let me in future issues!

On May 7th, it is all up for grabs. It’s down to you and your readers. In too many towns and cities, the vote is a foregone conclusion! Not here. This is a marginal seat. What your readers do COUNTS. If you’re reading this, Please don’t sit at home on polling day. It’s too important. The future depends on who votes and how that vote is cast. 

If you vote for me, you vote for change – and you vote for someone with passionate beliefs and the energy and the will to fight for them.

Together we can create the change we want to see.  Let’s do it!

Yours, etc.

Ian

Ian McINNES, Whitby. 4th March, 2015.