JULY 4 will be known for something else than American Independence Day this year – it is the date the country goes to the polls in a general election.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s call for a summer vote took many by surprise but campaigns are up and running and questions being asked?
Will Reform UK overtake the Conservatives? How many, if polls are to be believed, will Labour win by? Can the Green Party increase its base?
But locally, there are plenty of issues raging too. What does the future of Tameside’s towns look like? Will those in power deliver?
The Correspondent asked each candidate in the three constituencies making up the borough to detail their policies and beliefs.
Here are their replies.
Stalybridge and Hyde Candidates
PHIL CHADWICK (CONSERVATIVE)
BEING the local choice in Stalybridge and Hyde, I care about the area I live in and it is an honour to stand in the constituency where I was born, went to school, worked and am proud to call home.
If elected, I will be your local champion who lives in the constituency, unlike the Labour candidate who has moved his family to London.
I was born here, I am rooted here and my parents live here, as does my sister and her family.
We all know what a Labour government would bring – higher taxes, weak defence, a war on motorists and no plan to deal with immigration, legal or illegal.
With the Conservatives you will get taxes cut, pensions protected with a triple lock plus, 30 hours of free childcare, a boost to defence spending by 2.5 per cent of GDP, an immigration plan, 8,000 more police, an increase in NHS spending and the recruitment of 92,000 nurses and 28,000 doctors.
But locally, what has the Labour candidate and his Labour-run council done for you?
Hyde town centre decimated, parking charges increased massively – a war on motorists, ignored constituents on protecting the green belt and children put at risk of significant harm.
The Conservative government, on the other hand, has given Stalybridge £20 million of Levelling Up money, which will bring hundreds of new homes using brownfield land in its town centre, close to shops, doctors, public transport and schools.
If elected, I will fight to bring the same levels of investment to the rest of the constituency, to boost our town centres in Hyde and Mossley.
ROBERT HODGETTS-HALEY (GREEN PARTY)
I’M VERY pleased to be given the opportunity to stand as the Green Party candidate for Stalybridge and Hyde in the upcoming General Election.
I was fortunate enough to previously stand in the last one and hope to build on my experiences and give the constituents a voice for real hope and real change.
I am a father of two and husband to an extremely supportive wife. Family is incredibly important to me, which is why I chose to stand as a Green candidate.
I want to give hope to a future, where my children and generations to come can have the freedoms and securities which we desperately need.
We are faced with so many uncertainties – environmental, economic and political shifts all mean that standards of living are set to go down.
I have seen the difficulties first hand that are being faced by disabled people and their families and would love to support others struggling with the growing amounts of stress and pressure from the targeted political assault on those with disabilities.
As a renter, I have struggled with poor living conditions and uninterested landlords.
What is clear is that the housing crisis is much more than a supply issue. I will advocate for councils to ‘buy the supply’ as per our manifesto, to buy existing housing stock so it may be used for social housing and to ensure local people are not displaced.
Our in-depth manifesto offers a costed solution to the difficulties we face.
Vote for policies, Vote Green.
Standing for Reform UK is Barbara Kaya. Despite repeated attempts to contact her by The Correspondent, no statement has been received.
KAMALA KUGAN (LIBERAL DEMOCRATS)
I HAVE a track record of championing people centred policies and I am committed to using my knowledge and skills for the greater good of everyone!
I have worked across the public, private, and voluntary sectors; including within immigration, schools, prisons, and on many 12 hour shifts within NHS A&E Services.
I have seen first-hand the damage the Conservatives have done to our public services and only Liberal Democrat proposals will save our health and care services!
I’m also deeply troubled that aspiring ‘People’s Representatives’ are relishing opportunities to drive hate and division in the UK.
Progress should be founded on timeless British values of equality and fairness, not barbed soundbites or empty promises of ‘Change.’
I’m aiming for a step change in the narrative. I want to support successful lives via inclusive spaces which foster a sense of belonging, mutual respect and tolerance.
Our public services have been run into the ground and I want to renew them with a compassionate culture, ensuring they are alert to people’s needs.
I promise to represent everyone, loudly and proudly, working hard to deliver outcomes the people of Stalybridge and Hyde deserve.
Labour have held this constituency since 1945, and little has changed. Only the Liberal Democrats can ensure towns like Stalybridge and Hyde get the fair deal they deserve.
So, on July 4, vote for a fair deal. Vote for a renewed health service and a compassionate society.
Vote Liberal Democrat. Together we will be a force for good!
IAN OWEN (INDEPENDENT)
I LIVE in Stalybridge, 10 minutes’ walk from the house I grew up in and for the last 25 years, I have worked locally as a lawyer.
I have visited more than 70 countries, with each journey teaching me something new.
I’ve concluded that the world is a beautiful place full of incredible people, but that politicians make it appear ugly.
I believe more than anything in the power and creativity of the individual.
Strong people make strong families, strong families make strong communities, strong communities make strong countries.
I’m for smaller Government, lower taxation and less interference in people’s lives.
For me, the free market is the only way to provide for everyone’s needs.
We need to live peacefully, freely, and compassionately – ensuring that those of us going through hard times in sickness, old age and poverty are fully supported.
The pendulum of power has swung too dangerously far towards the weak leaders of the big parties.
We are ignored, taken for granted, and treated with contempt – increasingly being told what to do and how to think.
This must stop.
Never forget that it’s our Parliament, not theirs. There is nothing uniquely gifted about a party politician.
If elected to serve the people of Stalybridge and Hyde, that is precisely what I will do – whether by voting on proposed legislation or helping to solve your problems.
No party leader, trade union or billionaire will tell me what to think or how to vote.
I will only listen to you.
JONATHAN REYNOLDS (LABOUR)
SERVING the communities of Stalybridge, Hyde, Mossley, Longdendale and Dukinfield for the past 14 years has been an absolute privilege.
From visiting every single school, to securing investment to regenerate our town centres, to finally getting the Mottram bypass agreed, to achieving a brand new SEND school in Longdendale, I love this job.
Together we have been through so much, from moor fires, to flooding, to a tornado and a pandemic.
I am proud to stand up for the area I call home when times are tough.
However, after 14 years of Conservative government, very few of you tell me you feel better off.
The economy is stagnant, wages are low, taxes are high, the NHS is creaking at the seams.
After 14 years challenging the government, I am raring for the chance to govern and help fix this mess. I am proud that Labour has changed itself and I am excited to see it change the country for the better.
As Business Secretary, I would deliver a clear industrial strategy, making sure areas like ours have great jobs driving the growth we need.
I would support small business by ending late payments, cracking down on shoplifting, and easing access to public contracts.
I would bring banking services back to our high streets, creating 350 banking hubs and saving the cash economy.
I can only deliver these things as part of a Labour government. The outcome of this election is not a forgone conclusion.
If you want change, vote Labour.
AUDEL SHIRIN (WORKERS PARTY OF BRITAIN)
IT WOULD an honour to represent my lifelong home, as your elected Member of Parliament.
Like many, I am a disenfranchised voter. I did not choose to be a politician, politics chose me. The two main parties have failed us both locally and nationally.
Decades of austerity, a cost-of-living crisis, neglected public services, the destruction of the NHS, and a lack of affordable housing have left many dependent on food banks. These are clear signs that we need radical change.
I am running because I believe in being authentic and principled and I am committed to community-led decision making and truly listening to the needs of the people I represent.
In 1948, after a World War, we had the money to create the NHS and prioritised affordable housing, if we had the money then why do we not have it now, where is our tax money going?
Free tuition fees in education, like Scotland, restoring the NHS to its former glory and providing affordable housing are as crucial now as they were then.
We need to realign our priorities and make them a necessity once more.
Voting Labour or Tory means more broken promises, the same economic policies and ignored voices.
The Workers Party will put your needs first. I will advocate for policies that address the problems created by the two traditional parties.
Our community and Britain deserve better. Unlike the establishment parties, we have a manifesto fit for ordinary people.
Vote Workers Party on July 4.