Hear from candidates standing in the general election.
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00:03:11Hello, and good evening.
00:03:12I'm Dr. James Tirelise, senior lecturer in politics and international relations, and with the
00:03:27With the general election looming, it's a pleasure to welcome you to tonight's special
00:03:30event, the Canterbury General Election Hastings at Canterbury Christ Church University, the
00:03:36home for politics and international relations in Kent.
00:03:39We're delighted to have you with us tonight, and especially a warm welcome to all the students
00:03:44as well from all the secondary schools who have joined us today.
00:03:48The Archbishops, Canterbury Academy, Canterbury College, Simon Langton, Spires Academy and
00:04:09Sandwich Tech.
00:04:15Tonight's event is organised by the Politics International Relations Programme, which offers
00:04:18degrees consistently ranked as top in the UK across numerous categories by the National
00:04:24Student Survey, The Guardian, The Times and The Sunday Times.
00:04:28A category we excel at, quite relevant for tonight's event, is student voice, and this
00:04:34highlights our commitment to empowering students, to fostering an environment where student
00:04:39voices are not just heard but valued, an environment where students become active participants
00:04:45in the political process.
00:04:47And this is why we're gathered here tonight, to fire up the engine of the democratic process,
00:04:53to hear from the candidates, their policies, their vision, locally but also nationally,
00:05:00in addition to delivering together in a respectful way on matters of shared moral, social and
00:05:07political concern.
00:05:09Before we start, I want to say a very big thank you to our partners for their unwavering
00:05:13support.
00:05:14The Students' Union, Canterbury Society, the Ethnic Minorities in Canterbury Group, the
00:05:32Association for Canterbury Residents, the Canterbury Interfaith Group, and the Kent
00:05:43Wildlife Trust, which is also a sponsor for tonight's event.
00:05:48We'd also like to say a very big thank you to Canton Line and KMTV, who are live streaming
00:05:55the event, have joined us in broadcasting as well and reporting on it, and of course
00:06:00to my colleagues from Marketing and Corporate Communications and Politics and International
00:06:04Relations, specifically Dr. Kenyon, who has been integral in the organisation and with
00:06:09the school engagement.
00:06:10Your collaboration is invaluable in ensuring that we continue to provide enriching experiences
00:06:15to our community.
00:06:16So without further ado, please join me in welcoming Professor David Bates, who will
00:06:21be chairing the event, introducing the candidates, and saying a bit more on housekeeping related
00:06:26stuff.
00:06:27Enjoy the event.
00:06:28Thank you.
00:06:29Okay, for those of you who saw an earlier advertisement of this event, I am not Dr.
00:06:40Sarah Lieberman.
00:06:41Dr. Sarah Lieberman has COVID, which she notified me about yesterday evening, so I
00:06:48am a last minute substitute.
00:06:50So I did try to go through all my other colleagues to see if they wanted to do this, but there
00:06:55you go.
00:06:56So really, thank you everybody for being here.
00:06:57It's great to see so many people here tonight.
00:07:00As Dimitri said, I'm David Bates.
00:07:02I'm Professor of Contemporary Political Thought here at Canterbury Christchurch University.
00:07:06We've been having hustings in some way, shape or form through Canterbury Christchurch and
00:07:10our partner organisations for a long period of time, and it's really exciting that we're
00:07:16hosting this event here tonight.
00:07:18I'll go through housekeeping issues first of all.
00:07:20We're not expecting a fire alarm this evening.
00:07:23I've always wanted to do this bit.
00:07:28So should the alarms go off, people, if you can exit in an orderly fashion, the exit sides,
00:07:34like the air hostess, the exits are to the sides.
00:07:38So that's really important as well.
00:07:42Hopefully, sometimes rooms can get a bit hot and the air conditioning, I think, is pretty
00:07:45good in this room, so it should be okay.
00:07:48So clearly marked exits.
00:07:49I'd also just briefly like to thank Dimitrius Tillieris, my colleague, for doing so much
00:07:53organising here.
00:07:54He's been quite remarkable in the last few weeks.
00:07:56It's kind of frightening, actually, he's so organised, so it's really good.
00:07:59So thank you.
00:08:00It takes a lot to pull these things together, and I'd also just obviously like to thank
00:08:04our candidates so much.
00:08:05So thank you so much.
00:08:06We've had a little chat beforehand, and it's really nice of you, so thank you very much.
00:08:11Clearly the process of hosting, or the whole process of hosting these hustings in this
00:08:17Canterbury constituency has received a great deal of media coverage over the recent few
00:08:23days, especially politics in Britain, or not just in Britain, but globally, has become
00:08:30exceptionally toxic.
00:08:33You'll be aware that for well-publicised reasons, the Labour candidate, Rosie Durfield, is not
00:08:38participating in person in this hustings, any hustings during this campaign, at least
00:08:44in terms of in-person participation, and you'll have seen how that's sort of been reported.
00:08:51So with that in mind, I just wanted to say a few points about, as it were, rules of engagement
00:08:57for an event like this.
00:09:00First of all, in Canterbury Christchurch University, we're committed to free and open debate, but
00:09:06I think free and open debate necessitates a corresponding set of commitments and values.
00:09:13So just as we're not expecting a fire alarm here, we're also not expecting people to shout
00:09:19fire in a crowded theatre.
00:09:22So I think that's very important.
00:09:26So as the US Supreme Court judgment by Judge Wendell Holmes in 1919 stated, in his judgment
00:09:33he stated, the most stringent protection of free speech would not protect a person in
00:09:37falsely shouting fire in a theatre and causing a panic.
00:09:41Well, a very famous statement around freedom of speech.
00:09:43So in particular, I would really like to draw people's attention in this room to the university's
00:09:48Expect Respect pledge, which was co-developed with our student community.
00:09:52And I'd like that as far as possible to be the guiding principle for this evening.
00:09:59So we want to defend free and open encounter, but within the constraints of civility and
00:10:06everything else that comes with that.
00:10:08So that pledge states that we expect respect for all, that we should take a positive responsibility
00:10:17for helping to create an inclusive and welcoming university.
00:10:19I hope we've been inclusive and welcoming tonight.
00:10:23To take positive action to prevent discrimination and not just tolerating and condoning or ignoring
00:10:30harassment of any kind, and to educate oneself and others about harassment and what it is,
00:10:36how it makes people feel and challenging harassment where possible.
00:10:39So I suppose to the main point of this, civility is not only key, it's a necessary condition
00:10:45in a free and open debate.
00:10:48So what does this mean in practice?
00:10:49Very quickly, allow others to speak to the audience.
00:10:54And I'm sure our politicians know a great deal about the significance of that and what
00:11:02that actually means.
00:11:03Do not heckle candidates or other participants.
00:11:11No heckling, please.
00:11:13This simply undermines, my answer to that is this simply undermines the possibility
00:11:16of debate.
00:11:17It makes debate meaningless and we want to hear a different wide range and diversity
00:11:21of opinions and viewpoints.
00:11:23State questions in a clear and concise fashion, that's sometimes quite difficult for an academic
00:11:27actually.
00:11:28But anyway, avoid, this is the other thing that's difficult for academics, avoid comments
00:11:34and rather state questions.
00:11:36I am always filled with dread when someone says this is not so much a question as a comment.
00:11:40We need questions because people need to be able to then answer those questions, our
00:11:44candidates.
00:11:45And ask, importantly, for practical reasons, please ask questions that relate to or can
00:11:51be addressed by all candidates, because I think that's important so we can get the range
00:11:55of views and positions on different arguments.
00:11:59So rather than what is the monster raving loony party's view, they're not standing hence
00:12:04I take that, view on gardening, the question should be what will the parties do to support
00:12:09the important activities of gardening in the Kent region, that sort of thing.
00:12:13It's not going to be gardeners question time, don't worry, that would be really dull.
00:12:20We have five candidates here this evening, so thank you.
00:12:24We're going to start in a moment in alphabetical order, that's how we're going to start and
00:12:27then we'll, as things move forward, we'll mix things up a little bit.
00:12:32So in alphabetical order, we have Luke Buchanan-Hodgman from the Social Democrat Party, Louise Harveyquart
00:12:40from the Conservative and Unionist Party, Bridget Porter from Reform UK, Harry Stanton
00:12:48from the Green Party, Henry, sorry, should have gone to Specsavers, you know, Henry Stanton,
00:12:55get the candidate's name wrong in the first, I said it would go well, and Russ Timpson
00:13:00from the Liberal Democrats.
00:13:02So thank you for being here.
00:13:04So to start, each candidate will provide a two-minute opening statement, again we'll
00:13:09run through that in alphabetical order, we will then move on to take questions from the
00:13:13floor, we'll then have a special segment on environmental-related questions because one
00:13:18of our co-sponsors here is the Kent Wildlife Trust, so I think that's really important
00:13:24and they will have some questions around that theme.
00:13:27So if you've got a question on, I'll try and be quick, if you've got a question on
00:13:30the environment, try and keep it into that section, it'll help the order and running
00:13:33of the event.
00:13:36And then after this, we'll take further questions from the floor and through email and the ballot
00:13:39box.
00:13:40And by the end, the idea is that our candidates will be expected to give a 30-second response
00:13:45to some of the questions, so we'll build up the tension and keep the event exciting as
00:13:50far as possible.
00:13:51I noticed some people are going, oh God, this lecture is going on quite a bit, so I'll cut
00:13:55this down, last line here.
00:13:58My son who's sitting over there is entirely used to this, poor soul.
00:14:02But before we do anything, can we have a brief show of hands, I don't know, a show of hands
00:14:11from members of the public.
00:14:13Please put your hands up, this is a very simple question, you'll be pleased to know, please
00:14:17put your hands up if you are decided on which party you will vote for, I don't want to know
00:14:21what party, just if you're decided at the moment.
00:14:24Could you put your hands up?
00:14:27Oh, that's kind of interesting.
00:14:31Right, I suspect we will be doing this at the end to see what happens during tonight's
00:14:36debate.
00:14:37So, there you go.
00:14:38So, quite a lot of them decided here in Canterbury, there you go, so a lot to play for.
00:14:43So, thank you very much, that's me out of the way, I won't be saying anything else until
00:14:47the end when we sum up.
00:14:48So, if we could move up to the candidates, two minutes from each of the candidates.
00:14:52That's a wonderful timer.
00:14:54So, from one lecturer to another one, my name is Luke Buchanan-Hodgman, I'm the SDP candidate
00:14:59for Canterbury.
00:15:00Now, we're a university city and every year we invite tens of thousands of students here
00:15:06to study, to meet people, to be exposed to interesting and sometimes dangerous ideas,
00:15:13that's what we're here for.
00:15:14And, you know, when I look at our panel tonight, you can obviously see someone's missing and
00:15:19it really does shame us as a city to be all over the headlines for the last couple of
00:15:23weeks.
00:15:24We look like the city of censorship, that probably the most important person to be here
00:15:27tonight isn't able to be here because she suffered threats of violence and abuse by
00:15:32online bullies and cowards and I think it should shame us all.
00:15:36It should shame us all.
00:15:37Well, you may heckle, at least we can see where you are, right, so it should shame us
00:15:41all that she's not able to be here tonight, right, to put her case across being the most
00:15:45important person that would be up here, considering that it's likely the Labour will receive a
00:15:49super majority and us as constituents and you as constituents should have had the opportunity
00:15:55to challenge her ideas and to put her under the caution, right, because that's what we're
00:15:59here to do.
00:16:00We're here, we're here to ask questions and to receive answers.
00:16:04Now, I joined the SDP because at the time it seemed like the only party that was absolutely
00:16:10resolute and unequivocal about freedom of thought and free expression, right.
00:16:16That's the reason I joined the SDP and so if the only thing you remember from my contributions
00:16:21this evening, and of course I'll talk about policy, is that as a party we are unequivocal
00:16:26about those key principles that as a university city we should care about more than any others,
00:16:31I'll see it as a fantastic success.
00:16:32Okay, so I'm really honoured to be here tonight.
00:16:35Hopefully I can contribute positively to the event and I look forward to receiving any
00:16:39of your questions.
00:16:40Thank you.
00:16:55Thank you very much.
00:16:56Good evening.
00:16:57Canterbury has been my home for more than 30 years.
00:17:01I've been educated here, I work here and have done since the age of 14.
00:17:07I've raised my family and I've welcomed my grandchild here.
00:17:10Some of my fondest memories are right here in my hometown.
00:17:14Ice creams on the coast with my children, experiencing the grandeur of Canterbury Cathedral
00:17:19for the very first time and returning as the Sheriff of Canterbury to read from the pulpit.
00:17:26It is because I feel so passionately about my home that I want to see a good, strong
00:17:32constituency MP right here in Canterbury.
00:17:37One who will be visible, present and fair and one who will be inclusive, taking all
00:17:44members of the community into account.
00:17:47As someone with experience as a representative in the local community, I have forged strong
00:17:52relationships with organisations and residents alike.
00:17:55I want to work with you to revive communities, champion causes that matter to you and safeguard
00:18:02our precious farmland and areas of outstanding natural beauty.
00:18:07Tonight I stand before you as a friend, a colleague and an ally and as someone who will
00:18:13stand beside you, working with you and working tirelessly for you.
00:18:18Thank you.
00:18:33Good evening everybody.
00:18:36Can you hear me?
00:18:39My name's Bridget Porter and I've lived in the Canterbury area all my life.
00:18:45I trained at the Kent Canterbury Hospital as a general registered nurse and latterly
00:18:53a community midwife.
00:18:55I've been in business, I've brought up my son as a single mother as my husband was killed
00:19:05in a tree accident when my son was two.
00:19:09I'm standing for Reform UK as we're a new party with fresh ideas to make the citizens
00:19:17of Great Britain safer, happier and more optimistic about the control of their lives
00:19:24and futures.
00:19:25Good evening, I'm Henry Stanton, I'm here to represent the Green Party in this constituency.
00:19:43I've lived here since I was six.
00:19:45My children go to the same primary school that I went to.
00:19:48I studied at the Boys Langton and also at this university and at the University of Kent.
00:19:56I was also a teacher in Faversham for 15 years.
00:19:59I want to be your MP because not only do I love the area, I want to help improve our
00:20:04residents' lives and I'm convinced that only the Green Party has got the commitment, the
00:20:10imagination and the honesty to get this great country back on track and God knows it's got
00:20:19way off track.
00:20:21Today I learned that in 1997 to buy a house here would cost four times the median income
00:20:30which wasn't great back then but today it's 11 times the median income.
00:20:35It's absolutely impossible for anyone who actually works here to afford to buy a house
00:20:39here.
00:20:41On top of that, Canterbury Food Bank gave out 126,000 meals last year.
00:20:46Our A&Es are the second worst in the entire country for waiting times and do not get me
00:20:52started on potholes.
00:20:56We in the Green Party are hardworking, invested in and focused on the local area.
00:21:02I led the original citizen science project to establish that there was actual human excrement
00:21:07in the seawater of Whitstable.
00:21:09I led an investigation that established that over 500 homes no longer had their recycling
00:21:14bins collected in the district.
00:21:16I was involved in establishing that we have illegal levels of air pollution in Canterbury
00:21:22and Green Party councillors have run surveys on the impact of Airbnbs on the local area
00:21:27and held public meetings on community energy projects to beat the energy and cost of living
00:21:31crisis.
00:21:33We want to make the UK a cleaner, greener, safer and fairer place to live, with better
00:21:39jobs, a better health and education service and, unlike the other parties, an honest approach
00:21:44to how we'll pay for all this.
00:21:46Time?
00:21:47Two minutes.
00:21:48You're up.
00:21:49Okay.
00:21:50Thank you.
00:21:51Thank you.
00:21:52Thanks very much.
00:21:53Thank you.
00:21:54Right.
00:21:55Let's continue.
00:21:56Right.
00:21:57Russ Timpson.
00:21:58Liberal Democrats.
00:21:59Thank you.
00:22:04Good evening.
00:22:05My name is Russ Timpson and thank you very much for inviting me to this job interview
00:22:10this evening.
00:22:11Just a little bit about myself.
00:22:14I was, I grew up in Wickenbrew, a little village just outside Canterbury.
00:22:18I joined the Royal Navy when I was 16, served in the Royal Navy in nuclear and diesel submarines
00:22:24for nine years during the first Cold War.
00:22:26And then I came out and I joined the Kent Fire Brigade when we used to look like Fireman
00:22:29Sam and I served for two years here in Canterbury, serving the community.
00:22:36I went to university as a mature student, got my degree and I'm now a practising chartered
00:22:40fire engineer dealing with tall buildings and the fallout from Grenfell Tower, which
00:22:46is emblematic of what's gone, I think, wrong with this country under the normal people
00:22:50that have been running things.
00:22:52I'm a Liberal Democrat and those two words are really important, Liberal Democrat.
00:22:56It expresses everything we think about the way we should conduct ourselves.
00:23:01We're unashamedly internationalists in the Liberal Democrat Party and one of the things
00:23:05I will be doing as your champion in the House of Commons is I should be trying to make sure
00:23:10that we can forge a way back to Europe and repair some of the damage that's been done.
00:23:20Our campaign is all about fairness.
00:23:23We have to have an adjustment in this country.
00:23:25The unacceptable face of capitalism that's been let loose with the Tory government over
00:23:30the last decade or so has led to havoc and we've got this terrible trickle-down economics
00:23:37in this country.
00:23:38We have to adjust that.
00:23:39It's just simply not fair that we can call people key workers one minute and go out and
00:23:43bang our saucepans and then they are scrounging overly aggressive pay disputes the next minute.
00:23:49That's simply not fair.
00:23:51So we have to address that and all of the banks and everybody else that is making huge
00:23:55excessive profits, the water companies.
00:23:57So that's just some examples about how we need to reintroduce fairness back into our
00:24:01society and I'm going to hopefully be doing that on behalf of you in the House of Commons.
00:24:05Thank you.
00:24:14We're now going to move over to some questions from the floor.
00:24:19We have one question to start with from Chris from one of our school partners.
00:24:23Which school are we here?
00:24:26Spires Academy.
00:24:27Spires.
00:24:28So thank you.
00:24:29Chris.
00:24:34So my question is, what are your plans to support immigrants and refugees within Canterbury?
00:24:39Okay.
00:24:43I'm going to run through in alphabetical order once more for this to start with and if I
00:24:47can go over to Luke, please.
00:24:48Is this on?
00:24:49Yeah.
00:24:50This is on.
00:24:51So I think when we talk about migrants and refugees, we have to be a little bit careful
00:24:54to distinguish between the two categories.
00:24:56I think often these groups are melded together and when we talk about what we do in Canterbury,
00:25:01I think we have to be realistic.
00:25:02You know, most of the policies that are going to affect migrants and refugees will be national
00:25:06policies.
00:25:07They won't be something very specific to Canterbury.
00:25:11Now, the SDP has a clear ... I mean, was the question specifically about support?
00:25:17Can you be a bit more specific as to what you try and get from the question?
00:25:21The question was just to support, yeah.
00:25:25Like, what are you going to do to support and aid certain refugees and immigrants?
00:25:32So some people come for work, right?
00:25:34If you're coming for work on a skilled visa, the support is that you are able to access
00:25:40the job market via that visa to earn a living like most other people would.
00:25:44Now, I think that would be pretty reasonable.
00:25:47There are obviously questions.
00:25:48I think I better get onto the topic of migration because it's key amongst our policies.
00:25:52We're looking to cut migration quite significantly.
00:25:55The SDP policies around migration is that it should be skills-based, need-based, legal,
00:26:00and under democratic control.
00:26:02Now, I don't want to do Bridget's job for her, but Nigel Farage was right in the recent
00:26:07debate that in 2010 and 2015, 2017 and 2019, and according to the show of hands of the
00:26:13recent leadership election debate, most major parties, and especially the conservatives
00:26:17who have been in government the whole time, promised to cut migration every single time.
00:26:22So there's a democratic chasm where parties have promised to do something about this issue
00:26:27and have subsequently, in nearly every election, failed to do anything about it.
00:26:32And now we're running net migration figures, you know, 700,000 a year, right?
00:26:37And so this is clearly an issue.
00:26:40And I think for parties to ignore it is not really genuine.
00:26:44So, yes, there are lots of migrants that come to this country for work.
00:26:48Yes, we have a very liberalized migration system.
00:26:51I mean, if you look across the skills...
00:26:53Two minutes up.
00:26:54Yeah.
00:26:55Oh, is it two minutes?
00:26:56Yeah, it's a two-minute question, so thank you.
00:26:57So I'll just remind people, if you can just keep to the two minutes as well.
00:27:00We'll go off here.
00:27:01So thank you very much.
00:27:03Okay, we'll go again in...
00:27:07Yeah, we'll go in our political order as before.
00:27:11Thank you so much for that question.
00:27:12Spies is my neck of the woods, so thank you so much for coming over and being here this evening.
00:27:17Particularly, you spoke about Canterbury, so I will refer to Canterbury.
00:27:22We have, right here at the university, people who have come over from the Ukraine.
00:27:28They're working here and we've been supporting them here.
00:27:30And actually, they've become members of the community and more like members of family in estates and facilities,
00:27:35which is where I work.
00:27:37There are lots of support for members that have come over from the Ukraine,
00:27:41particularly in Petym.
00:27:42There's a wonderful Ukrainian community.
00:27:44I was there recently at an event.
00:27:47But in terms of supporting people that come here,
00:27:50I want to make sure that we can have international students coming here and staying here.
00:27:56Now, I know that our policy has made it difficult for international students to come over with their family.
00:28:01And we do have to be careful that we don't have migration through the back door,
00:28:05which is something that's been suggested.
00:28:07But we need to be making it easier for international students to come here and to stay here.
00:28:12And as I work at a university, that's something that I feel particularly passionate about.
00:28:16But thanks again for coming. It's really nice to see you here. Thank you.
00:28:20OK.
00:28:22Bridget?
00:28:24Well, with our immigration policy, it's that we want to stop the boats
00:28:31to prevent people from arriving here without documentation.
00:28:36We need to be safe in our borders.
00:28:39And we need people to realize that they cannot stay here just because they want to be here.
00:28:48Mass immigration, it compounds the lives of the people who are already here.
00:29:00With Reform UK, we want to leave the ECHR and be able to properly secure our borders.
00:29:13We will immediately deport foreign criminals and withdraw citizenship if migrants offend.
00:29:22For anybody here that's homeless, we need to support them.
00:29:27If they are ex-servicemen, we need to support them more than we need to support immigrants.
00:29:40OK. Bridget, thank you.
00:29:43Right. Henry, thank you.
00:29:47OK. I think the simple way of looking at this is that for Canterbury,
00:29:52if we've got migrants, we want to welcome them.
00:29:55They bring money and hard work.
00:30:04And if they're refugees, we want to look after them.
00:30:08APPLAUSE
00:30:13I do understand that Bridget is upset about the fact that our public services are in tatters.
00:30:19And so often, immigrants get blamed for that.
00:30:22But the truth is, if you're in an NHS hospital,
00:30:25it is not more likely that they are ahead of you in the queue.
00:30:28It's more likely that they are the ones looking after you.
00:30:31APPLAUSE
00:30:34In Canterbury, what we need to do is actually make sure that they can get good quality housing
00:30:38so that we've got enough staff for our NHS.
00:30:41Because at the moment, we don't.
00:30:43We're short by 100,000 people across the whole country.
00:30:46So if we can't get enough staff for our NHS, nothing's going to change about that.
00:30:50And at the moment, no-one in any of the parties is prepared to commit to spending the money
00:30:54to training nurses and doctors in the UK.
00:30:58And until they do that, we are going to have to rely on migrant work.
00:31:04The only other thing I would say is that the small boats problem is entirely a function of Brexit.
00:31:08Pre-Brexit, you didn't have to have people coming across on boats
00:31:13because they were able to get safe passage here
00:31:16and then we were able to return migrants back to their country of entry under the EU rules.
00:31:23So there is now this appalling situation of people dying in the Channel on a regular basis.
00:31:29No-one wants to see that.
00:31:31So there's a simple solution, which is either to rejoin the EU,
00:31:34or if you're not prepared to do that, at least provide the idea of safe passage.
00:31:38Make sure that people can apply for asylum in another country to come to the UK.
00:31:43At that point, you instantly remove the problem of small boats and people dying on those small boats.
00:31:49OK. Thank you. Two minutes, sir.
00:31:51Yeah, two minutes, sir.
00:31:53Thank you.
00:31:57Russ.
00:32:01We in this country have got a very proud tradition of helping out.
00:32:04Kindertransport during before World War II.
00:32:08Lots of Canterbury has benefited from the Huguenots that came over here and built the weavers.
00:32:12We've got a whole history of where people coming to our country has enriched it
00:32:16and made it a much more cosmopolitan place to live and work.
00:32:23The migrants are not the issue here.
00:32:27You will have this dog-whistle politics that we've heard from the characters
00:32:30that are currently putting themselves up to be the official opposition.
00:32:34I think it's disgraceful that they're covering up the endemic problems
00:32:38that we've got that we discussed earlier on about austerity
00:32:42and the way that we've driven and cuts that we've had to endure.
00:32:46Now people are pointing to migrants and scapegoating them and saying that's the problem.
00:32:50To address the question directly, I think we should be following the Swedish model,
00:32:55where if you come to this country, having people sitting in hotels for months if not years,
00:32:59we should be finding a system where they can get to work.
00:33:03Around where I live, here we are in Kent, we're surrounded by fruit farms.
00:33:07I think last year there was something like 40 million pounds worth of fruit
00:33:11was left to rot in the fields because we couldn't get anybody to pick it.
00:33:15It seems absolutely incredible to me that these people are coming here
00:33:19and most of them are coming here because they want a better life
00:33:24and they want to work.
00:33:26Let's not allow ourselves to be drawn down this road of scapegoating.
00:33:30Let's provide the proper facilities for everybody in a fair society,
00:33:34including those people that are trying to escape from all of the nasty things
00:33:38that they're getting away from in their country.
00:33:42You've got a clear choice as far as I'm concerned.
00:33:46You've heard one view of what we should treat immigrants.
00:33:51In France, where these camps are, coming across the boat should stop immediately
00:33:55and we should put steps in place.
00:33:57We have to readdress those connections with France so that we can get those agreements.
00:34:01Are they likely to do that at the moment? Probably not because of Brexit.
00:34:05Thank you very much.
00:34:09Just to let you know, we are going to try and move that screen over a bit
00:34:13just to help you guys with timing as well.
00:34:17That's because I was speaking to the candidates.
00:34:21Thank you very much.
00:34:25We're going to now move over to take a question from the floor.
00:34:29There's a roving mic around there.
00:34:33Thank you very much over at the back there.
00:34:37People can volunteer a question
00:34:41and I'll try and see how many hands go up
00:34:46Lady there.
00:34:58Hello, thank you.
00:35:02I'd like to ask what are the candidates' views on housing targets for Canterbury District
00:35:06and the draft local plan, in particular the proposed C12 site
00:35:10land to the north of the University of Kent?
00:35:14Thank you very much.
00:35:18Can we go over to Henry first?
00:35:22For those of you who aren't aware,
00:35:26the draft local plan determines where people can build things
00:35:30between now and 2040, I think it is.
00:35:34It's just out for consultation at the moment.
00:35:38It's been devised by the Labour and Liberal Democrat council
00:35:42to have a building just behind the University of Kent
00:35:46in Bleen. They're proposing 2,000 homes.
00:35:50Predominantly, those are going to be three-bedroom luxury homes.
00:35:54The problem with that particular plan is
00:35:58one that's repeated throughout the whole of the draft local plan, which is
00:36:02Canterbury doesn't need luxury three-bedroom homes and it can't
00:36:06support luxury three-bedroom homes at that volume.
00:36:10That's quite apart from the fact that it's a lovely area with really essential
00:36:14biodiversity, which would be wiped out if it was built there.
00:36:18Those 2,000 homes obviously will come with space on the drive
00:36:22for two cars, which Canterbury does not have the traffic system
00:36:26to support. What should have happened is, first of all,
00:36:30to get very technical, they should have looked at the 2018
00:36:34census figures rather than the 2014 census figures, which would have shown
00:36:38that the actual need for housing has dropped considerably
00:36:42and we actually need abodes for 9,000 people. Then they should have looked at the
00:36:46nature of those people who need those homes in Canterbury and
00:36:50they would have found it's the elderly and the young people.
00:36:54Therefore, what they would have realised is they should be building small one- and two-bedroom
00:36:58apartments, not three-bedroom plus deluxe
00:37:02houses, which, as I've previously established, can only be afforded by
00:37:06people coming down from London. If you do that type of mix and you make
00:37:10sure that the places that you build are not based on where developers
00:37:14want to build them, but rather where the community actually needs them, then you
00:37:18end up with a plan which will allow for more housing
00:37:22so that we can solve the problem we do have and also
00:37:26a happy community. Thank you.
00:37:30Thank you.
00:37:38Thank you. Thank you for that question. First of all, I would tackle the National
00:37:42Planning Policy Framework before anything else. I think the National
00:37:46Planning Policy Framework, or MPPF, however you know it to be, I think
00:37:50has reduced the ability of local councils and communities
00:37:54to influence developments. I think that we need a new system
00:37:58that empowers communities and allows the right types of houses in the right
00:38:02places. I'm against concreting over farmland, woodland
00:38:06and any kind of countryside. I want to see homes, not houses.
00:38:10I want to see communities. For me, as a former councillor
00:38:14and as many of you know, I sat on planning,
00:38:18I would have liked to have seen the council use the ONS 2021
00:38:22census figures, not 2024. I think the housing mix in the
00:38:26local plan in its entirety is completely wrong
00:38:30and I think the areas that should be considered and
00:38:34more focused on should be the more metropolitan areas of Canterbury rather than
00:38:38our rural areas. I would like to change the National Planning Policy
00:38:42Framework so that congestion becomes a recognised reason
00:38:46to refuse development. At the moment it isn't, which is why
00:38:50our rural communities are being built up, our rural communities that have
00:38:54one road into Canterbury and there is congestion. As we all know,
00:38:58we travel those roads daily. It is a constant battle.
00:39:02I would like to see smaller homes for local people instead of, I don't
00:39:06see an issue with attracting people down from London at all
00:39:10but I think that we should be focusing on our local communities and housing
00:39:14our families. Thank you very much.
00:39:18Luke?
00:39:26I have pains to echo some of what the other candidates have
00:39:30said but it does seem, adjacent to the Bleen, a uniquely
00:39:34poor place to position 2,000 additional homes.
00:39:38I have a bit of a vested interest, I'm a Bleen resident
00:39:42as well, so I should make that disclaimer now, but it does seem
00:39:46like a uniquely poorly situated development. But I do have a bit
00:39:50of a problem because when you look at different plans in the past,
00:39:54look at the potential development down at Winship Water Meadows a few years
00:39:58back, you look at the proposed development in the Bleen, it seems
00:40:02as though, as a community, we're always ready to say no
00:40:06to those developments. It doesn't seem like there are too many viable
00:40:10alternatives that come forward. Now, there may be people much more close to this topic
00:40:14than I am, but I think it's quite challenging if we are to throw our arms
00:40:18open to the world, as it seems like from the panel, where everyone's willing to. We do have serious
00:40:22questions to ask about where we're going to house people. There's not an unfair question
00:40:26to ask. And I think sometimes the British public get gaslighted about this.
00:40:30If we have an extraordinarily high and variable rate of migration into this country,
00:40:34it's not unreasonable to say, well, we will build these houses for the people that come.
00:40:38Just look at the last year of migration data. We will need to build
00:40:42over 400,000 homes in the UK, just to satisfy the demand that would
00:40:46come from inward migration alone. Now, to give you an idea, we build
00:40:50about 170,000 homes a year at the moment. Long-run trends are around
00:40:54180,000-190,000 homes per year at present. So not only would we need
00:40:58to double that in order to start chipping away at the deficit, i.e.
00:41:02the total amount of homes that we lack as a stock already from a number of years
00:41:06of high population growth, we would need to build significantly more across the country.
00:41:10So I don't think it's always going to be an easy answer to build in places that aren't
00:41:14green and lush and lovely to enjoy. I think this poses really serious challenges
00:41:18and questions about what we can sustain and about what our construction industry
00:41:22can meet in terms of demand.
00:41:26Thank you.
00:41:38Over the last two years, 1.2 million people
00:41:42have come to live in Britain. This is
00:41:46putting a huge strain on housing
00:41:50because those young people that are still living
00:41:54at home with their parents and cannot afford
00:41:58to buy a house is impacted on them
00:42:02dramatically. With Reform UK,
00:42:06we will offer tax incentives for
00:42:10development to brownfield sites, including
00:42:14offices and vacant high street properties.
00:42:18As I travel around canvassing, I notice a lot of
00:42:22elderly people living in houses
00:42:26where they're under-occupied. We should be
00:42:30incentivising people to
00:42:34include a different flat or something in their
00:42:38home in order to house other people.
00:42:42We need to prioritise local families and
00:42:46those who have paid into the system and
00:42:50scrap the 2019 tax changes for landlords
00:42:54because if private landlords leave the market
00:42:58and choose to put their
00:43:02properties into Airbnb, nobody
00:43:06benefits.
00:43:14Thanks for the question. Views on housing here
00:43:18in Canterbury. If we apply the test that the
00:43:22Liberal Democrats want to do, which is one of fairness, this is a question of sustainability.
00:43:26If I go back a few years, back to the
00:43:30bad old days of the Thatcherite policy of selling off all the social housing, one of the
00:43:34reasons we are where we are is because we've completely depleted the social housing
00:43:38stock in this country and we've sold it off.
00:43:42We're going to have to play catch-up.
00:43:46We have to build housing. One of the other unfairnesses I think in this society
00:43:50is for our young people. The chance for them to own
00:43:54their home is virtually impossible now. We've pulled the ladder up. I'm talking about my generation
00:43:58here. We've got to take some ownership of that situation. That doesn't negate
00:44:02the fact that we have to build more housing. Liberal Democrats will build more houses. It's where
00:44:06we build them and is it sustainable. I'm personally in favour of the
00:44:10Canadian model where if you know you're going to project for a certain population
00:44:14growth, you build the infrastructure first. You build the
00:44:18roads, you build the hospitals, you build the schools and then
00:44:22the population grows. Doing it the other way is a recipe for
00:44:26inequality and unfairness and of course what it
00:44:30ends up is where we've got now is where lots and lots of young people
00:44:34haven't got the facility to own their own home. We can trade
00:44:38statistics and we can talk about immigration. The long term, because I'm
00:44:42a student of long term demographics, the long term demographics for Europe
00:44:46is going down and it's going down because young people
00:44:50can't get a house and have a family. So if we're going to
00:44:54talk about this, let's talk about some vision about what's coming down the track
00:44:58and avoid this short term blame and scapegoating.
00:45:02This is a question of sustainability. We do have to build new
00:45:06homes. I think we should build them on brownfield sites. I think we should do a
00:45:10national audit on empty properties and properties that are not being used
00:45:14and if necessary compulsory purchase them and put them into use.
00:45:28We now have a moment where we're going to have a special question from
00:45:32our partners as part of this event from the Kent Wildlife
00:45:36Trust and then we'll move over to some environmental questions as well related to
00:45:40what discussion follows from that. So can I have the question from the Kent Wildlife Trust?
00:45:44Thank you.
00:46:04Thanks for letting me speak on behalf of Kent Wildlife Trust and to open the first question in this
00:46:08important segment. I was delighted to hear the first question which had
00:46:12a nature related link and it may lead on from some of the
00:46:16answers that you've already provided. So nature really ultimately
00:46:20is the critical infrastructure on which we ultimately rely. It's our life support
00:46:24system and rebuilding dynamic, resilient, functioning ecosystems
00:46:28across 30% of land and sea will protect nature and people,
00:46:32maintaining a safe living space, our health, our natural resources
00:46:36and a thriving economy. Kent Wildlife Trust, its partners, local communities
00:46:40and businesses have been contributing towards nature recovery and climate stability
00:46:44for people, with people, for decades. One fine example is the
00:46:48Wilderbleen Project, restoring and protecting southern England's
00:46:52largest area of ancient woodland.
00:46:56Canterbury City Council, as we've just heard, are planning to deliver
00:47:001,149 new dwellings per year as part of their draft local
00:47:04plan, including some developments on or near important sites
00:47:08for wildlife, such as the Bleen National Nature Reserve.
00:47:12And at the same time, the local plan commits to improve biodiversity,
00:47:16the connectivity of habitats, deliver new areas of open space and sustain the full
00:47:20recovery of the Stodmarsh Nature Reserve. And so I ask our
00:47:24candidates specifically, not what you would like to do, but what you
00:47:28will do to ensure that development is in the right place at the right
00:47:32time, not to the detriment of our environment, important natural habitats,
00:47:36ultimately all of us, and that also that we tackle important
00:47:40issues like pollution.
00:47:44Thank you very much. So, can I go in a slightly different
00:47:48order again? We'll try and mix this up a little bit. Can we go with Russ first?
00:47:52Yeah, thanks for the question. I'm happy to say I'm a
00:47:56lifetime member of the Wild Woodland Trust. I do that to offset
00:48:00some of my business activities. I'm proud to do that. I'm also a beekeeper.
00:48:04I keep bees. And if you're a beekeeper, you have to be an optimist these days because
00:48:08lots of things out there make it a very difficult thing to do.
00:48:12In specific terms, I'd like to go back to the questions I was talking about earlier on
00:48:16about sustainability. It does come back to sustainability
00:48:20and impact. When we are going to do these developments, in fact when we're doing
00:48:24pretty much any sort of development in the local area, you'll probably know
00:48:28that you have to do some kind of impact assessment. And
00:48:32you'll know that that is then open to politics. Now, we've heard that Keir
00:48:36Starmer has said that he's looking forward to making enemies. I can
00:48:40tell you, for the Liberal Democrats, we are an evidence-based party
00:48:44and we are objective. So, under the Nolan principles
00:48:48of good governance, one of those is objectivity. And I would make sure that
00:48:52we have fit-for-purpose impact assessments for anything that's done. And we'd be
00:48:56governed by those impact assessments and act accordingly.
00:49:00Thank you.
00:49:04So, as I said earlier, it's one minute per question for this. We can get quite a few environmental questions
00:49:08in around that particular theme if we go in that way. Bridget?
00:49:12Access to green space
00:49:16is a key health initiative. And Canterbury has
00:49:20124 square metres of green space per
00:49:24person. So, I think we're doing rather well around here
00:49:28with our environment. Kent Wildlife
00:49:32Trust has introduced bison and
00:49:36Exmoor ponies and Iron Age pigs into West Bleen. And they're also
00:49:40responsible for Bigbury Camp and Broadham
00:49:44Down near Chilham. Reform UK
00:49:48does not advocate rewilding on productive
00:49:52agricultural land. We continue to
00:49:56support country sports, which increase investment
00:50:00in conservation of our environment. They boost rural
00:50:04jobs, communities and local economies.
00:50:08Thank you, Bridget. Okay, Louise. Louise, can I pass over
00:50:12to you for that one as well? Thank you.
00:50:16Thank you for the question. It was interesting that you mentioned
00:50:20Bleen, because rewilding of Bleen is something that I'm particularly
00:50:24proud of, and it's something that's at threat through the current or the emerging
00:50:28local plan. I don't think that the Dry For House
00:50:32building can be used as a reason to take shortcuts when it comes to the environment.
00:50:36I think that there is experimental work going on, particularly
00:50:40pertaining to Stodmarsh, in terms of finding natural filters
00:50:44for solutions. As a grandparent, I
00:50:48want to make sure the environment is in a better state
00:50:52for her. I think it's something that we need to pull together on as a
00:50:56collective, rather than try and do as an individual.
00:51:00When we think about development, I want to see more
00:51:04renewables. I want to see KCC sticking to their solar
00:51:08together plan, which provides families with solar panels
00:51:12from a trusted provider. I want to see solar panels in right
00:51:16places and not on our open spaces. Thank you very much. Thank you.
00:51:20Thank you.
00:51:24First of all, I'd like to say I am a proud member of the Kent Wildlife Trust,
00:51:28so thank you for the question. Next up, I'd just say that
00:51:32specifically talking about Stodmarsh, what we've got there is a situation where
00:51:36a mixture of, we think, human sewage and
00:51:40runoff from agricultural fields is causing algae blooms
00:51:44in that area. It's for that reason that
00:51:48most building work is now completely suspended in Canterbury
00:51:52while we try and figure out what actually is going on there.
00:51:56The first thing I would say, therefore, that we need to do to sort that out is to
00:52:00invest in better sewage works so that there
00:52:04is no risk of those human elements getting into the
00:52:08river water of what is a very, very delicate ecosystem.
00:52:12The Green Party would re-nationalise
00:52:16all of the water companies so that
00:52:20...
00:52:24the £15 billion ...
00:52:28There you go.
00:52:32Luke. As I said, I live adjacent to
00:52:36Bleenwood, spent most of last Christmas laying hedges adjacent to Bleenwood
00:52:40for joining up. I've got a bit of a dog in this fight.
00:52:44The SDP has very clear policies around this. It's got a national land use plan.
00:52:48We do have to rank and think seriously about priorities about the land use.
00:52:52We have to be honest about that. Lots of competing aims. Infrastructure, housing,
00:52:56rewilding, farming, etc. The SDP has a
00:53:00policy around protection of ancient trees and woodland and expanding tree cover. That would seem to be
00:53:04an obvious case for it around the Bleen. It's already a significant area of
00:53:08ancient woodland that's contiguous in many places. I know there's some roads going through.
00:53:12This is a prime candidate for increasing tree cover. Yes, we have to be honest about
00:53:16having a national plan for these things. We do have to rank in order of priority
00:53:20the different competing uses of land.
00:53:24As I say, the SDP have got clear policies around ancient tree protection,
00:53:28some serious robust enforcement of spillage. We got the news last week about dry
00:53:32spillage as well, which is really a travesty.
00:53:36Thank you very much.
00:53:40Environment team, we've got a chance now for a question from the floor.
00:53:44Anyone that has a question, put your hand up and I will
00:53:48try to see you properly.
00:54:02What would your party do to reduce levels of poverty in this country, which are
00:54:06a disgrace?
00:54:10We'll be picking that up later. We're trying to just ask questions specifically
00:54:14in relation to the environment for this section. That's obviously a very important question, but I wonder if
00:54:18we could take an environment question and then think about that
00:54:22as we go forward. Gentleman at the back there.
00:54:26Thanks very much. We have
00:54:30in nationally crumbling schools, real problems in our
00:54:34health service, massive infrastructure difficulties
00:54:38and yet tax has become a dirty
00:54:42obscene word.
00:54:46How would the candidates actually tackle all these
00:54:50problems without increasing or keeping taxation
00:54:54at the level it is? Excuse me, I've perhaps not made it quite clear at this stage.
00:54:58That's an important question, but we do want to focus in this little segment on the environment.
00:55:02This is the environment section, so thank you.
00:55:06So if somebody has a question on the environment, it would be kind of handy just at this stage.
00:55:10Is it on the environment? Right, thank you.
00:55:18Hello, thank you David. So Labour recently cancelled its
00:55:22$28 billion pledge to environmental spending in its latest manifesto.
00:55:26What guarantees can each party give us to ensure
00:55:30that they will actually put the investment to safeguard our future and not
00:55:34to backtread
00:55:38when placed under pressure?
00:55:42Okay, so backtread by...
00:55:46Like cancelling the green investment. Right, so supporting green investment
00:55:50and not backtracking on that particular issue. Thank you very much.
00:55:54Okay, can I go to Louise first
00:55:58for that?
00:56:02Thank you for that. I think more
00:56:06importantly we need to be looking at our renewables. I think that
00:56:10is the future. The party has pledged
00:56:14to establish the great British nuclear, so for me it's nuclear power and
00:56:18renewable energy. So we have pledged to approve new fleets
00:56:22of modular reactors, which will half the time it takes
00:56:26to deliver these projects by speeding up planning and environmental
00:56:30approvals. So on net zero in particular we have
00:56:34dramatically cut carbon emissions in Kent, across the UK, phasing out coal
00:56:38and rapidly expanding on our renewables.
00:56:42As I've said before, solar panels, for me it's investing in solar
00:56:46and having them in the right places, not in agricultural land.
00:56:50On top of buildings, if you drive around just along the planet where you can see buildings there
00:56:54that are perfect, that would be able to home our solar panels.
00:56:58So for me, renewable energy going forward. Thank you.
00:57:02Thank you very much.
00:57:06Can we go to Russ?
00:57:10Okay, so you obviously know
00:57:14Liberal Democrats, this agenda is very close to
00:57:18what we're all about. You asked me earlier on for some specifics.
00:57:22Forgive me, I can't memorise the whole 144 pages of our manifesto.
00:57:26But what I can tell you is that we are committed to extra funding for the
00:57:30Environment Agency and Natural England. We've committed in our manifesto to planting
00:57:3460 million trees a year and establishing three new
00:57:38national parks in the country. That's in our manifesto.
00:57:42Obviously, these are manifesto, this is what we want to do.
00:57:46I, as well as one of my other hobbies, is
00:57:50sea kayaking. So I've kayaked around most of the coast of Kent and I can tell you
00:57:54when you're in the sea and you have some of the sea quality that I've had to
00:57:58navigate through, then that is obviously
00:58:02a big issue. I think for me, we have to address this issue. We have to
00:58:06challenge the capitalism that's come into all of our infrastructure and
00:58:10turn it round so it's fair for all of us.
00:58:14I think it's
00:58:18worth reminding people that without capitalism, there is no capital, so we kind of need it for
00:58:22investment. But anyway, it's a fact.
00:58:26Thinking about what happens about our energy security, we do need
00:58:30to invest in nuclear, but we need to reframe the argument. At the moment, this is becoming
00:58:34decamped on the right and left. You're seeing it become politicised. And for me,
00:58:38that makes absolutely no sense. What was an argument about
00:58:42green energy, and the question was specifically about how can we shore up these policies to make sure
00:58:46that they aren't watered down. It needs to be reframed. There should be a
00:58:50question of strategic independence in energy. That's the way it should be
00:58:54framed, but it's framed according to a green agenda, which is
00:58:58clearly a political framing. We need to reframe this question, not only
00:59:02in terms of the green agenda, but also in terms of our domestic supply and being
00:59:06able to generate that fuel independently as a strategic
00:59:10asset. So we need to reframe the question, and I think only when we
00:59:14do that will we make it apolitical, and we can actually see this through.
00:59:18Thank you.
00:59:22Good luck asking
00:59:26the C to reframe that question, because it's going up all the time, and
00:59:30it's because there's a climate crisis, and there is really nothing that reframing
00:59:34the question is going to help with when it comes to the climate crisis. In terms
00:59:38of actual guarantees, I wouldn't be stood up here now if I thought
00:59:42for a moment that the Green Party was going to backtrack on its green policies. I will put
00:59:46my mortgage on it, and that's gone up a lot thanks to Liz Truss recently,
00:59:50but I still would, and furthermore, I think
00:59:54in terms of not wanting to backtrack, look, I've got three young children,
00:59:58and I'm doing this for them, because otherwise their future
01:00:02is miserable, and the truth is
01:00:06it can be fixed. We are here to tell you right now, I'm not Mr. Pessimist here,
01:00:10I'm Mr. Optimist, we can make this happen, we can make a green, fair future
01:00:14in which everyone is fairly treated
01:00:18and avoids the worst effects of climate change.
01:00:22However, if we don't do what we're suggesting, everyone else
01:00:26is screwed.
01:00:30Bridget?
01:00:34Well, our energy market needs reform.
01:00:38Net zero is the wrong bit at the wrong price
01:00:42and in the wrong time frame. Net zero sends our money
01:00:46abroad and damages critical industries like steel production.
01:00:50We are going to scrap net zero
01:00:54and save 20 billion per year
01:00:58and scrap 10 billion renewable energy subsidies.
01:01:02We want to use the cheap energy below our feet
01:01:06and fast-track licences of North Sea oil, gas
01:01:10and grant shale gas licences on test sites
01:01:14for two years.
01:01:18The shale gas is potentially worth hundreds of billions over
01:01:2230 years. That will bring down the tax
01:01:26take from that gentleman at the back there who is worried about
01:01:30his taxes going up.
01:01:34Right, okay. I'd like to now move on
01:01:38to another question from the floor, but we're opening up the themes
01:01:42now. So, just as we're focusing on the environment now,
01:01:46we can open this up to a whole range of other topics and issues.
01:01:50Hello.
01:02:02Poverty. Thank you. That was first and that was second.
01:02:10What would your party do about poverty?
01:02:14Getting more money to people who are currently desperately poor.
01:02:18What would you do? What would your first steps be if you came into government?
01:02:22Okay. Thank you very much.
01:02:26First of all, to Bridget, the question of poverty and what your party would do
01:02:30about that particular issue.
01:02:34The way out of poverty is to work.
01:02:38The benefit system
01:02:42is broken and there's 5.3 million people
01:02:46in Britain on out-of-work benefits. We need to incentivise
01:02:50people to get back into the workplace because
01:02:54with work, it gives people a good
01:02:58mental, physical
01:03:02positivity and
01:03:06also poverty nowadays
01:03:10is not like poverty in the 1800s
01:03:14in Charles Dickens' time.
01:03:18Okay. Thank you very much. Bridget, I'd like to...
01:03:22Can I go to Henry?
01:03:26Yeah. I will just start off.
01:03:34When I was a teacher, I remember vividly the first time
01:03:38and this was probably about eight or nine years ago that a student
01:03:42we were told that a student had come to a member of staff
01:03:46and said that they didn't have any food for the evening meal.
01:03:50Their mother didn't have any money and
01:03:54wouldn't have for a couple of days and it was a really devastating
01:03:58moment in the staff room when we realised that we live in a
01:04:02really relatively prosperous area and yet
01:04:06here was a child who was having to come and ask their teacher for some food.
01:04:10And it is a very, very, very real problem
01:04:14that has got worse since then. Very quickly, we would
01:04:18increase the universal credit by £40 per week, we'd end the bedroom
01:04:22tax, we'd get rid of the two-child benefit cap, we'd increase
01:04:26disability benefits by 5% and we would... Yep.
01:04:30Thank you very much.
01:04:40As someone that used to be on welfare,
01:04:44I can attest there is nothing wrong with being on welfare. Thank you very much.
01:04:48What we need to do is we need to help people who are
01:04:52on benefits, move them over to universal credit and get them out of
01:04:56legacy benefits. We need to be helping families.
01:05:00We need to be helping families that want to get back to work and can get back to work.
01:05:04We need to be offering them incentives with their childcare to support them so their
01:05:08children can be in childcare while they are earning a living. Also,
01:05:12another issue that is close to my heart is child maintenance. We need to sort out non-compliance
01:05:16of child maintenance. We need to ensure that absent parents
01:05:20are supporting their families. We need to...
01:05:24Sorry, excuse me. We need to
01:05:28boost the availability of affordable housing in our local areas,
01:05:32particularly in our local rural areas. I think that it's a complex
01:05:36issue, poverty. It's not one I don't think that will resolve this evening,
01:05:40but I believe in cutting taxes, lowering taxes.
01:05:44Thank you.
01:05:48I won't need my notes.
01:05:52If we follow the advice of the Green Party and we give
01:05:56this menu of lovely benefits that we're all going to receive,
01:06:00it will blow an 80 billion pound black hole in our budget. This isn't my opinion.
01:06:04This is the IFS's remark on the green manifesto that we saw.
01:06:08That's twice the hole that Liz Trust blew in it. If you're talking about
01:06:12bills, I think you're probably going to see a reaction there. We've got to be honest about poverty.
01:06:16There's no silver bullet to deal with it. Part of it's economic growth. Part of it,
01:06:20as Bridget says, is work. It's not like work and poverty are separate
01:06:24issues. That's a completely absurd point. But we also need to
01:06:28deal with the tax system. The SDP have a clear policy around recognising the family unit
01:06:32as a unit for tax. If you've got a woman out at work and a man staying at home looking
01:06:36after the child, you can share your tax allowance. What would that mean for the average family?
01:06:40It would mean a £25,000 tax-free allowance for bringing up children,
01:06:44which is worth about £3,500 a week. That's a serious amount of money and it's
01:06:48fully costed and it's fully funded in the manifesto.
01:06:52Can we just keep
01:06:56the heckling down at the moment so we can keep the debate going?
01:07:00So what are we
01:07:04going to do about poverty? This is a clear choice in the election.
01:07:08You'll obviously hear from the other parties. What we're
01:07:12saying, the Liberal Democrats, is that there needs to be, obviously, a fairer deal
01:07:16for everybody in our society. In power, when
01:07:20we were in the coalition, we were the party that raised the tax threshold, which took a lot of people out
01:07:24of tax, and that's to put money in their pocket. And so you can see from that
01:07:28that's the direction of travel that we would want to follow. We want
01:07:32to introduce practical things, like we're going to put £1 billion into a national
01:07:36food strategy so that we can produce more food and we can reduce the cost
01:07:40of food. We want to address the energy issues that we heard earlier on
01:07:44and provide more assistance with people so that they can
01:07:48pay their fuel bills as we go into another winter next year.
01:07:52But above all, I think what we need to have is
01:07:56a sense of community in regards to
01:08:00things like fiscal policy. Now, if we can
01:08:04make sure that we have stability after the chaos that we've just had for the last 10 years
01:08:08in the way we address things, then are we done.
01:08:12I think I've said the bleeper a bit louder. Thank you very much.
01:08:16Right, so that allows us, I think, one
01:08:20question further from the floor.
01:08:24A few questions further from the floor, actually.
01:08:28The lady there, over there.
01:08:32Oh, come on! Calm down, you'll get
01:08:36a chance. Over there.
01:08:40Yeah, it's coming to you.
01:08:44Well, because Rosie Duffield isn't here
01:08:48I think we should address the question that is partly
01:08:52the reason she isn't here. And that is, what do the candidates think
01:08:56is a woman? And I say that
01:09:00so that women can have equality in this society
01:09:04and so that others who want to express themselves
01:09:08can have a right to express themselves.
01:09:12But what do the candidates think about this issue
01:09:16that isn't being expressed? Because our elected MP isn't
01:09:20here. Thank you.
01:09:24So, I'm conscious in this section we only have a minute
01:09:28for certain questions, so it's quite a massive metaphysical question to answer in a minute.
01:09:32I'd like to, can I go, I'll start with Luke.
01:09:36Adult, human, female.
01:09:44Adult, human, female.
01:09:48I really don't need to go into the detail of it.
01:09:52That's about all I have to say.
01:09:56Henry.
01:10:00So, my position on this huge, huge debate
01:10:04and really one minute is really unsatisfactory, but is that
01:10:08as a teacher I watched a number of students from the age of 11
01:10:12go through some kind of journey while
01:10:16they were at the school I taught them. And aged 11
01:10:20they had no agenda, they were scared, confused,
01:10:24and very, very vulnerable. And so as far as I'm concerned
01:10:28whenever I'm thinking about someone who is transitioning or has
01:10:32transitioned, what I think about first before anything else is
01:10:36about those young people who need our
01:10:40help. And that is as a teacher,
01:10:44as a former teacher, and I think just as a human, that's where we should be
01:10:48starting from when we think about any of these people. It is an incredibly
01:10:52difficult time for them and I would like to say a lot more
01:10:56about the debate as a whole and where the other,
01:11:00what I think about the other side, but there is no time.
01:11:04So, sorry.
01:11:08To me,
01:11:12a woman is somebody who is born female or it's somebody who
01:11:16has transitioned to be female.
01:11:20Thank you. To me, I respect however you want to
01:11:24live your life. You are free to express and live your authentic life
01:11:28as you choose to. If I didn't believe that I wouldn't be able to work at somewhere
01:11:32like Christchurch. For me, the broader discussion
01:11:36about women's rights, we should absolutely be having it, but we shouldn't
01:11:40be having it at the exclusion of trans rights. Thank you.
01:11:54I understand a woman to be an adult
01:11:58female without a penis.
01:12:02Reform UK's
01:12:06policies on transgender ideology
01:12:10is that there are two sexes
01:12:14and two genders and it's a dangerous
01:12:18safeguarding issue to confuse children otherwise.
01:12:22Teachers should not be condoning
01:12:26this dangerous
01:12:30fad amongst young children.
01:12:38Are you a teacher?
01:12:42Can we keep questions going in the order of the questions
01:12:46coming?
01:12:50I don't like
01:12:54the unfairness of men
01:12:58in women's sports and I certainly don't want to see
01:13:02them in changing rooms
01:13:06and advocate single sex changing rooms.
01:13:16Okay, my answer to that question is you be the best person
01:13:20you want to be and I don't want to put labels on anybody actually.
01:13:28I was privileged to go on
01:13:32the Pride March a little while ago
01:13:36and spent time, I went round in the Dain John and went to the transgender
01:13:40tent and I said, look, you've got to educate me. I'm really not up to speed with this.
01:13:44And they said, as far as terms and say what
01:13:48you see, is what they said to me, all we want is to be treated with respect.
01:13:52And above all, I think we can apply that to pretty much everybody, can't we?
01:13:56Live the best life you want to be.
01:14:00And let's try not to get hung up with labels, because I think labels are problems and issues.
01:14:04And I think the Liberal Democrat
01:14:08and the clues in the name, have the best life you can be.
01:14:12I can't imagine as a young person, if you're in a body that you don't recognise yourself,
01:14:16how difficult and uncomfortable that may be.
01:14:20And you need help and you perhaps need to talk to...
01:14:24Very big and significant questions.
01:14:28Okay.
01:14:32Can I take another question from the floor?
01:14:36There was a gentleman at the back and I do feel a certain need
01:14:40to let him ask it.
01:14:44We're about to do that in a moment.
01:14:48Thank you very much. I'm sorry I inadvertently got into the environment section.
01:14:52We have in Britain now crumbling schools,
01:14:56hospitals which are crumbling, a need in the National Health Service,
01:15:00infrastructure, and yet tax has become like a dirty word
01:15:04rather than a sense of social insurance
01:15:08which we all ought to be involved in.
01:15:12How can we possibly mend all these things without a decent tax revenue
01:15:16in this country, which is our form of social insurance?
01:15:20Okay.
01:15:24Can I go with Russ, please?
01:15:28Okay.
01:15:32If we're going to have a fair deal, we've got to reverse some of the tax measures
01:15:36that have been put in place.
01:15:40The Conservatives have given all the brakes to all of the banks and the big companies
01:15:44that are making massive profits.
01:15:48In fairness, we have to collect the commensurate tax yield from them.
01:15:52So we will reverse the Tories' tax breaks for big banks.
01:15:56We would put a tax on the digital providers out there
01:16:00or the social media providers who are making colossal fortunes
01:16:04and using all kinds of different tax vehicles offshore, etc. to take their money away
01:16:08and they should be paying a fair amount for the yield that they're getting
01:16:12inside here. We would introduce a 4% tax on share buyback
01:16:16on FTSE 100 companies.
01:16:20The specifics are in our agenda. Underpinning all of that,
01:16:24it's about fairness. So if you're making gargantuan profits
01:16:28from a fuel crisis, you should be paying a commensurate tax
01:16:32back to us so that we can be fair to everybody.
01:16:36Thank you.
01:16:40Thank you. Spot on time now.
01:16:44Henry.
01:16:48Contrary to what some people think, our manifesto is fully costed.
01:16:52We're being honest about the fact that we do need more revenue to come in
01:16:56to pay for the things that we are planning. This is really basic economics.
01:17:00I think that anyone who claims that we can cut taxes at this time
01:17:04when austerity is still happening, when we're still having to campaign to keep our libraries open,
01:17:08when we're still handing out food parcels everywhere,
01:17:12is completely deluded. And the truth is, our tax is going to be affecting
01:17:16those with the broadest shoulders. We will have a 1% wealth tax
01:17:20on those people who have assets of more than £10 million.
01:17:24It goes up to 2% for those who have over £1 billion, but I think they'll be okay.
01:17:28We're going to increase capital gains tax
01:17:32so that it actually is at the same rate as income tax.
01:17:36That will just mean that Rishi Sunak no longer pays an effective rate of 20%,
01:17:40as he did last year, on his £3 million earnings.
01:17:44He's actually going to pay maybe just the normal higher rate tax rate on those earnings.
01:17:56I'm a Conservative, so I believe in keeping taxes low.
01:18:00Although what I will say is, for me, it's how you cut the money that you have
01:18:04and how you spend it. Interestingly, a Labour government is actually going to
01:18:08increase your taxes, and at the moment you'll hear Keir Starmer on TV saying
01:18:12how he won't be raising taxes for working people. To me, that means
01:18:16that he will be raising taxes on everything else. He will be raising taxes on your pension,
01:18:20he will be raising taxes on your property and your fuel.
01:18:24As somebody who lives paycheque to paycheque, that means everything to me.
01:18:28I may be a Conservative, but it doesn't mean
01:18:32that I'm wealthy. I have to be very careful with my money.
01:18:36As a Conservative, I believe in keeping taxes low, and I believe in spending wisely.
01:18:40Thank you.
01:18:56Yes, this works. So the tax take in this country now is historically high,
01:19:00so it's kind of ironic hearing from a Conservative about keeping taxes low.
01:19:04In all fairness, if you look across the different budgets that have proposed different manifestos,
01:19:08pretty much every party, bar reform, is looking to raise tax.
01:19:12The Green Manifesto, or the gentleman to my left, speaks about £50 billion that's
01:19:16proposed to be raised through a wealth tax from the Green Party. What about the other £120 billion
01:19:20that needs raising to meet their spending commitments? Who knows?
01:19:24So we have to be honest. Tax take in this country is at the highest level it's ever been.
01:19:28It's actually very, very difficult now to keep raising taxes on working people.
01:19:32So we do have to be a little bit clever and creative. There will be an element of this
01:19:36which comes down to more efficiencies across our spending.
01:19:40That has to be part of the mix. But we do need to think innovatively about raising tax.
01:19:44One of the things is what the Liberal Democrat gentleman spoke about, the OECD Accord,
01:19:48about making sure that large multinationals have to pay their tax in this country.
01:19:52We've proposed an online sales tax and a land uplift tax. Relatively modest tax-raising measures.
01:19:58Thank you very much.
01:20:04The economy needs reform to become high growth with high wages and lower taxes.
01:20:10That's why Reform UK will raise the threshold for paying tax to £20,000 a year.
01:20:18That will put an extra £30 a week in people's pockets.
01:20:22We must make work pay by lifting income tax start point.
01:20:28This will free 7 million people from paying income tax.
01:20:34And we need to cut energy taxes and beat the cost of living crisis.
01:20:40And scrap VAT on energy bills and lower fuel duty by 20 pence per litre.
01:20:53We have record debt, record borrowing and record waste.
01:20:58In Britain we produce world class business leaders, innovators and huge small businesses.
01:21:05And we must get the government out of their way and trust the British people to build back.
01:21:11Thank you very much.
01:21:13So we have now a question coming from our ballot box.
01:21:18One of the questions from the ballot box here.
01:21:20You're going to read it out, aren't you Dimitris?
01:21:22I'll try. So it's about the NHS.
01:21:24Do you agree that the NHS needs fundamental reform just as much as money?
01:21:29If so, how would your party go about this?
01:21:38So when the NHS was created in 1947, we had life expectancy in the early 60s, like 61 or 62.
01:21:44Now we're approaching 80.
01:21:46The NHS is more from what is obviously a health care provider to a semi care giving institution.
01:21:52And that's going to create enormous inefficiencies.
01:21:54So we need a national care service.
01:21:56And that's something that the STP proposes.
01:21:58The amount of savings that could be made in the NHS if we had a specialist and specific care service
01:22:04that would offer comprehensive care across the country would be absolutely enormous.
01:22:08You've only got to look at delayed discharge.
01:22:10Examples of that at the hospital up the road to see how just inefficient that is.
01:22:15Beds being blocked by patients that have simply nowhere to go that ought really to be in care,
01:22:19but instead of shunting about the NHS hospital unfairly.
01:22:23So we need massive reform.
01:22:25It's not all about more resources.
01:22:28A statistic I heard recently, the largest single purchaser globally still of fax machines, the NHS.
01:22:33So we need efficiency reform alongside serious thinking about how we're going to run it for the future.
01:22:39Thank you.
01:22:42Of course, the NHS needs more money because you only have to go to William Harvey,
01:22:49where I was recently and see the water pouring in through the roof creating a huge puddle,
01:22:53delaying the appointments to know that our hospitals are crumbling.
01:22:56But I think if I just talk about toenails for a moment, which is unsavory, but important.
01:23:01Elderly people can't necessarily chop their toenails.
01:23:05They can't reach.
01:23:07They're a bit too stiff.
01:23:10So what needs to happen to those people is that GPs need to go out and actually chop their toenails.
01:23:15If that doesn't happen, then their toenails grow really long.
01:23:19And then in the end, their toenails start turning in on themselves.
01:23:22It's really disgusting.
01:23:23And they start superating.
01:23:24They get infected.
01:23:25And then what has to happen is they get taken to A&E because they're then an emergency.
01:23:29They get taken to A&E.
01:23:31Their toes are eventually sorted out and they're admitted.
01:23:33But because they now need some recovery time, they can't go back home directly.
01:23:38And instead, they have to bed block because there's nowhere for them to go.
01:23:42So the money needs to be redirected to primary care, GP surgeries, and to social care, which we will make free of charge.
01:23:49Thank you very much.
01:23:54I'm feeling slightly queasy on this talk of toenails, actually.
01:23:57But anyway, thank you.
01:23:59Yeah, absolutely.
01:24:00Over to Russ.
01:24:02Right, I'm going to preface what I'm going to say because it might sound a bit dry and a bit analytical.
01:24:08My wife was a nurse.
01:24:10Her sister's a nurse.
01:24:11I spent last year four days in A&E with my mum before she passed away.
01:24:17Four days in A&E at QEQM.
01:24:20And it was like a war zone during that four days in there.
01:24:26I think that it is right that we do look at the NHS and ask the question, can we do better?
01:24:32The Liberal Democrats are saying we need to sort out the front door and the back door of the NHS.
01:24:39And what I mean by the front door is GPs.
01:24:42You should and must be able to go and see your GP.
01:24:44We're going to put in our manifesto the right to be able to go and see GPs.
01:24:47So that we can then solve those problems, like the toenail issues, before there's a need to go to A&E.
01:24:54And at the back door, we need people to be able to come out of hospital and go home.
01:24:58And that's why we're saying free personal care is part of our manifesto as well.
01:25:02If we can do that, I think we can make the situation better quite quickly.
01:25:06But it's about process and I think we need to make the back door and the front door more efficient.
01:25:11And I think that will be a contributing factor to making it better.
01:25:14Thank you.
01:25:23We all know that the NHS is in crisis because hospital beds have been cut from 300,000 to 141,000.
01:25:33Waiting lists are at a record high and rising.
01:25:37Hundreds die every week because of delays in calling for an ambulance and receiving treatment in A&E.
01:25:48This isn't about funding.
01:25:50The NHS is let down by incompetent management, bureaucracy, waste, cover-ups and scandals.
01:25:59And the reforms that are needed, we need to transform doctor and nurse availability.
01:26:06We need to train more doctors and we need to have more people on the front line in order to treat people
01:26:14rather than sat behind desks punching information into computers.
01:26:19We need to also cut down, as Russ said, on waste.
01:26:29Thank you.
01:26:31Louise.
01:26:34When we think of the NHS, we need to think more long-term rather than just a quick fix.
01:26:38And nationally, the party has a long-term workforce plan.
01:26:42We're looking at 92,000 more nurses and 28,000 more doctors.
01:26:46But on a local level, and I am a local girl, I think that we need to bring back services to Kent and Canterbury Hospital.
01:26:55I want to see A&E returning to Kent and Canterbury and I want to see maternity returning to Kent and Canterbury.
01:27:01My sister is a nurse in the NHS and she actually works in A&E.
01:27:05And she spends five minutes with each patient.
01:27:08That is not why she got into healthcare.
01:27:11She got into healthcare to look after vulnerable, needy people and patients.
01:27:15And that's what she loves doing and that's what we should allow people to get back to.
01:27:19I want to cut bureaucracy and the red tape that's preventing people like my sister from doing her job.
01:27:24And I want to make sure that funding is there.
01:27:27But most of all, I want to return those services to us because I believe that they are ours as local people.
01:27:33Thank you.
01:27:34Thank you very much.
01:27:36Okay.
01:27:39Okay, so we have now one of our school students who's going to ask a question.
01:27:44Sienna.
01:27:47Thank you.
01:27:50So, with house prices rising and food banks struggling and inequality becoming greater,
01:27:58we as young people wonder what you'll do to support us with the cost of living crisis.
01:28:05Okay, so supporting young people with the cost of living crisis.
01:28:11Actually, I'll go to Louise now from this one.
01:28:16Thank you.
01:28:17So, this really goes back to the discussion that we were having before about poverty and about food banks.
01:28:23And on a national level, it's a very complex issue.
01:28:27I think that there are fundamental reasons and we need to get to the bottom of those.
01:28:33What I would like to say in terms of supporting young people,
01:28:36I want to support more young international students coming over here and staying here.
01:28:41I think that education is incredibly important in supporting our young people
01:28:45and I want to just pass on some stats from the party.
01:28:50So, we are pledging £3 million funding towards disadvantaged children in education to help them reach their potential.
01:28:57We are pledging free school meals and we are pledging more support in terms of STEM or technical subjects.
01:29:04We are introducing the advanced British standard,
01:29:08which means that more students will be able to get the qualifications that they deserve.
01:29:13And in terms of our SEND provision, we are looking at 60,000 more school places.
01:29:18Thank you.
01:29:28So, in line with the comments I made earlier on,
01:29:31if you trust me with your vote and I end up in the House of Commons,
01:29:35one of the issues that I'm going to be passionately pursuing is how we bridge that fairness gap.
01:29:40That pulling up the ladder that our generation has done to the younger generation
01:29:45and addressing those issues and how we can do that.
01:29:48One of the things we put in our manifesto, for example,
01:29:51because we've come out because of Brexit and those opportunities to travel have been reduced to a certain degree,
01:29:57is we want to renegotiate for young people specifically the ability to be able to travel across Europe so they can come here.
01:30:05And also, we've got to think about, obviously, the taxation system and how that's going to impact people,
01:30:13certainly young people as they are coming into jobs and working, etc.
01:30:17And so, all I can tell you without specifics on this particular issue is,
01:30:23for me, this is one of the big unfairness issues that needs to be addressed.
01:30:27And I certainly, if you trust me with your vote, I'll be doing that.
01:30:35Luke?
01:30:39So, we've got a comprehensive offer for young people.
01:30:42If you're going to go to university, we're going to cap your tuition fees at 7,000.
01:30:45We're going to also cap the total repayment of your loan at 1.2 times the original loan.
01:30:50And we're going to cap the rate you pay on that debt to CPI inflation.
01:30:54If you're not intending to go to university, we want a comprehensive nationwide scheme for vocational and technical training
01:31:00that will link up with some of the skill shortages we have in this country,
01:31:04because some of the skill shortages we have are in industries that are really, really well paid.
01:31:08And it's a travesty that we don't have a better provision of technical and vocational education in this country
01:31:14to better link up young people at a very early age with those careers that are clearly really positive in terms of your potential pay.
01:31:22And it's something you should all be able to access.
01:31:24Career services in schools are really heavily focused on uni, which is great, but it does need to be broader.
01:31:29We do need to bring in more experts.
01:31:31And I think you guys being alert to some of the possibilities in vocational and technical training is the best way to support you,
01:31:37not just now, but in your trajectory in the next 10 years.
01:31:40That's what we would do.
01:31:48Some big ideas there, Luke. I hope you know how you're going to pay for them.
01:31:51So, I think young people need cash, housing and education.
01:31:58We would raise the minimum wage to £15 an hour for all ages, because that is a realistic living wage.
01:32:09In terms of housing, we would build 150,000 social houses per year, which would obviously benefit those most in need.
01:32:19But in addition, I've also outlined to you how our housing approach would work
01:32:25in terms of building more homes that are of the right type for young people.
01:32:30And that is a slogan of the Green Party, is the homes that are the right type, in the right place, at the right price.
01:32:37We also would, including in that point, build much more accommodation for renters and clamp down on Airbnbs.
01:32:44Because if you look in Whitstable, you've got 500 Airbnbs and eight houses to rent.
01:32:56Well, to help young people, I think we need to make them more transient.
01:33:01So, make transport easier for them to get into town, to go to work and do little part-time jobs when they're first in their sixth form or something like that.
01:33:14Also, we champion apprenticeships for young people, so that they can earn while they learn.
01:33:21Most young people aspire to learn to drive and to be more independent.
01:33:28And that's what we would encourage.
01:33:31If anyone went to university, that they had a two-year course, so that they wouldn't accrue so much debt and they would be entering the workplace earlier.
01:33:43Thank you very much.
01:33:45Okay, now we have a question from our wonderful ballot box.
01:33:49There's going to be lots of questions in that ballot box.
01:33:52It's quite a lot of themes tonight.
01:33:55But we've touched on this partly and slightly, but I think just to pick this up, because we are in a university context, obviously, a big hole here.
01:34:02The issue of university funding more widely.
01:34:06So, can the candidates give their thoughts on the question of university funding more widely and how it can be improved, enhanced, bettered in relation to where it is at the moment?
01:34:19I know there's been some touch on that from the SDP, but more widely.
01:34:22Can we go over to, first of all, Louise?
01:34:27Not to put you under pressure here.
01:34:30Given that I work at the university as well, it's really difficult for me.
01:34:34Cheers for that.
01:34:36So, with university funding, what happens at the moment is the £9,250 that you pay for your university places equals about £6,000 by the time it gets to the university.
01:34:50So, for the universities, it's really difficult to be able to give you the service and provide you with the skills that you need to go on in life, because that money is not coming in.
01:35:02Does that mean that we should put up the cost to come to university?
01:35:06Absolutely not.
01:35:07We should be absolutely supporting you to do that.
01:35:09But we should also be looking at how we should be supporting the universities.
01:35:13It's really difficult for me to answer this question, given that I work at the university.
01:35:17It's really unfair.
01:35:18Thank you so much.
01:35:20It's really unfair.
01:35:24But for me, as a staff member here and as an individual and as a parent, I want to see students supported in their education to make sure.
01:35:33Thank you.
01:35:34Thank you.
01:35:35I don't think it's fair to go straight on to another university lecture on this question at the moment.
01:35:39Let's mix this up a bit.
01:35:40Bridget, thank you.
01:35:43Well, thank you for this question about university funding.
01:35:50I honestly think that universities are probably like the NHS.
01:35:59They could cut their garment according to their cloth.
01:36:03I don't think that the fees should rise.
01:36:07I think efficiency should be made.
01:36:10And young people should be supported on their courses.
01:36:16Okay.
01:36:17Bridget, can I go to Russ?
01:36:22Well, in terms of funding in universities, I think, I'm not sure, I'm sure my economics colleague will tell me,
01:36:28I think the university, the HE sector is fourth or fifth biggest industry in the UK by the amount of revenue that it generates in the country.
01:36:38So let's not underplay the importance that they do for the national economy and what they do for everyone else.
01:36:45Now, I think for me, I think I'm the only person on the panel here that's grown a business and employed people.
01:36:52And going back to the earlier question, one of the things is that I put in straight away was an apprentice scheme.
01:36:57So we brought on apprentices in my first business.
01:36:59They're now age 16 and 17 from Sandwich Tech, actually, one of the schools here.
01:37:04And they've gone on now and we funded them through degree courses.
01:37:07I think there's a real role for businesses to grow their own and pay for them and pay for their degrees, which is great for both sides of that.
01:37:15So I think I'd like to see a lot more from businesses saying, look, come on board early with us, commit to us, and we will help you with that journey.
01:37:23In terms of funding for the university, I think we have to perhaps wean them off all the money that they've been taking from foreign students coming into the country and set their budgets accordingly.
01:37:34Luke.
01:37:37Excuse me, Luke.
01:37:39This is when I wish I brought my notes.
01:37:41So I think this is a tremendously tricky question.
01:37:45And the nature of tuition fees at the moment does create a real set of perverse incentives.
01:37:50Because with a fixed nominal fee, the real value of that fee has decreased significantly over the last 10 years.
01:37:58Fixing the fee at 9000 and not changing over time has really eaten away at the university budget.
01:38:04So as Bridget says, some efficiencies, universities have been making efficiencies for years.
01:38:08Right now, I've got to be careful what I say here, because, of course, I work at a university much like Louise and Dave.
01:38:12But at the same time, I do think that we have to seriously rethink the way that we fund universities.
01:38:18Yes, it may be some universities grouped together to share some services.
01:38:22That's going to be part of the answer.
01:38:24But I wish I could give you an answer.
01:38:26But it's really tricky.
01:38:28And to be honest, I don't think anyone's got a clear solution to this yet.
01:38:31So it wouldn't be honest of me to sit here and say that I have a really tricky situation.
01:38:35But the current situation is not fair on young people that are home students.
01:38:38And that's a fact.
01:38:40Okay, thank you much.
01:38:42Henry.
01:38:45Well, first of all, I would say that if we take out from the immigrant statistics the inflow and outflow of students,
01:38:59suddenly there's a lot less for people to worry about in terms of net migration.
01:39:04But in addition, what we end up with is a huge group of people who bring a lot of cash and spend it in our town, in our city, and in our universities.
01:39:15So I think if we embrace the idea of foreign students coming here and using our excellent universities,
01:39:23that is a way of generating considerably more revenue.
01:39:27We do have a policy of getting rid of tuition fees.
01:39:31But I would like to use my last 14 seconds to put in a plea for an institution that is even less well-funded, I think, than universities,
01:39:39and that is schools and FE colleges.
01:39:41They have even less cash.
01:39:43And I think that's where the priority needs to be right now.
01:39:46Thank you very much.
01:39:48Okay, spot on time there.
01:39:50Thank you very much.
01:39:51So we're going to have a slight change in pace again to up the pressure a little bit anyway.
01:39:59So we're going to move on to a number of questions.
01:40:01We're going to take some questions from the floor first of all.
01:40:04And the candidates have 30 seconds to respond.
01:40:08So please be calm with me here.
01:40:11This should be interesting.
01:40:16Right, okay, thank you very much.
01:40:17It's a good point.
01:40:18Lady there.
01:40:19Thank you.
01:40:28How will you protect the people of this country from state-sanctioned and indeed state-perpetrated abuse?
01:40:40What's that question about?
01:40:42Could you – sorry, could you – so the question was about protecting the people of this country from state-sanctioned abuse.
01:40:49By which – what do you mean by that?
01:40:51How will you protect the people within this country from state-perpetrated and indeed state-sanctioned abuse?
01:40:58Be that the people of this country being harmed by the police, by the family courts, by social services?
01:41:05Thank you.
01:41:06Okay, I think – okay, can I go to – I'll go to Luke first of all, if that's okay.
01:41:13I think there should be transparency.
01:41:16Again, I don't have much background experience of this, I have to be completely honest.
01:41:20I think there needs to be transparency in any proceedings with the public.
01:41:24I would hope that would go some way to making sure that these things aren't covered up or necessarily occur in the first place.
01:41:30But I have to be completely honest in a 30-second response to that.
01:41:34I'm not really sure what I can say.
01:41:36Thank you.
01:41:38Louise, anything you'd like to say in 30 seconds on that topic?
01:41:42Much the same as Luke, this is not really my area of expertise, but I would say communication and transparency would be the key.
01:41:49Like I say, I'm no expert, and it would be wrong for me to try and come up with an answer for you.
01:41:56Thank you.
01:41:57Thank you, Louise. Bridget?
01:41:59I think you've got a good point there, because unfortunately the government interferes too much in people's lives.
01:42:08We in Reform UK, we want people to take back control from the state and make their own decisions for their own families and themselves.
01:42:22OK, Russ?
01:42:25OK, you need to have a government and politicians who are going to constantly seek the truth.
01:42:34Last Friday was the seventh anniversary of Grenfell Tower, which is close to my heart.
01:42:39I'm a fire engineer. I specialise in that.
01:42:41And a lot of the people who died in that, the cover-ups and the complete morass of greed and lying that went on.
01:42:51And we've had scandal after scandal.
01:42:53So we need, and I hope that I am that person that can embody the Nolan principles in the House of Parliament.
01:43:00Thank you very much.
01:43:03Henry?
01:43:04I have to admit, after the Sarah Everett murder, I walked around looking at the Met Police when I went to London.
01:43:10And I looked at them in a different way.
01:43:12It is a real problem that we need to re-establish faith and trust in all of our public services.
01:43:18One thing that we would do is have a national whistleblower service.
01:43:21So that would mean that anyone who can whistleblow on a particular issue is able to go directly to that service with complete anonymity guaranteed.
01:43:30And it would ensure that they were completely protected from any consequences of that whistleblowing.
01:43:36And if they, yeah, that's it.
01:43:38Thank you very much. Thank you.
01:43:40Can we take a question from the floor? Over there, please.
01:43:44Thank you so much. My name is Basma Aduhi.
01:43:47I want to ask you a question that also confirms all what you have been discussing.
01:43:52Will your party, discussing the environmental justice and housing and poverty and benefits and all of that,
01:43:59will your party and yourself go into or support a comprehensive embargo on Israeli military weapons and military intelligence technology support
01:44:16in order to make sure that your Great Britain, your great country, is not complicit in aiding and supporting genocide?
01:44:28Just a minute. Genocide in other countries like Palestine.
01:44:32And make sure that the money and the benefits that are getting to kill other people in other countries and cause human suffering
01:44:41are being used effectively in your housing, in your environment, in your benefits, in your schools, in your universities.
01:44:50Instead of going to other states, killing other people, creating genocide.
01:44:57And also, will you protect your environment at Kent by closing military factories that contribute also to the destruction of environment in Kent?
01:45:08Thank you.
01:45:10Okay. There's a lot of really important aspects in that question.
01:45:17So, I just want to acknowledge that in terms of the format.
01:45:21We have to get through a whole range of questions here tonight.
01:45:31We have to have a structure. If we change things too much, believe me, it would be quite difficult.
01:45:36Sorry, I know it is. I'm perfectly aware of that.
01:45:39So, I'd like to go over to, we've got 30 seconds on this response.
01:45:43I'm wondering if there's any possibility we could at least extend that to a minute on our timer.
01:45:47Yeah, could we do that? Reset the timer to that.
01:45:52Or we could, could we possibly extend that beyond that?
01:45:56Because it's really important. So, could we take that back to the two minutes?
01:46:00One minute. One minute. One minute.
01:46:06Yeah, okay. I'm just trying to get through this. Absolutely. One minute.
01:46:09So, thank you very much.
01:46:10If we could go through, could we start there with that question?
01:46:14Yes, thank you for the question.
01:46:16I'm sure potentially there is somebody else in the audience that may have a different view from the lady that posed the question.
01:46:23I'm of an age where I remember bombs and bullets every week in Northern Ireland.
01:46:29I'm of an age where I remember bombs and bullets every week in South Africa as part of apartheid.
01:46:35Thank God those days are over.
01:46:38There's only one way that situation in the Gaza Strip is going to be solved.
01:46:44It's when the bullets stop and the talking starts.
01:46:47And only then, when that happens, will we get a solution.
01:46:51Because all we're going to get from both sides is recrimination and accusation of atrocities.
01:46:58And I can only tell from what I see in our press, I think there's been atrocities on both sides in that particular conflict.
01:47:07And it will not stop until the bullets stop and the rockets stop and we have a ceasefire.
01:47:12There has to be a ceasefire.
01:47:14But what I would say is...
01:47:16What I would say at that point...
01:47:19Excuse me.
01:47:20Can I answer the question?
01:47:21Excuse me, please.
01:47:22Can I answer the question?
01:47:25The question is, the first point is we have to have a ceasefire and they have to stop firing bullets at one another.
01:47:31The question then of where they get the bullets is irrelevant.
01:47:34And what I'm saying to you is there is no reason why this has to carry on.
01:47:40We have examples where we have reconciled what we thought was irreconcilable.
01:47:44It needs somebody, and I'm hoping it's somebody from that region, not from outside the US, China or anywhere else.
01:47:51It needs that region to come up with a solution.
01:47:54And personally, I think there is no other option than a two-state solution.
01:47:58Can we stick to the minute because I'm concerned about the discussion.
01:48:02Louise, can I go to you on this particular question? Thank you.
01:48:06Thank you for that question.
01:48:09Okay, so I have seen firsthand the damage of conflict.
01:48:13My father is a veteran and I see the impact of what he lived through and what he survived as a Royal Marine.
01:48:23My father lost 11 of his comrades in an attack from the IRA.
01:48:28And I have seen how it has impacted him and the knock-on impact it's had to me as his daughter.
01:48:35More pertinent to the question that you asked, I think that the only solution moving forward is release of hostages.
01:48:43And that we have to think of those people who are being held and have been held now against their will for eight months.
01:48:50Sorry, excuse me.
01:48:52Excuse me, could we just stick to allowing people to speak?
01:48:56I want to see a release of the hostages who have been held for eight months against their will.
01:49:01And I want to and I will support a ceasefire. Thank you.
01:49:05Okay, Henry.
01:49:10Yeah, it is too much to drink.
01:49:13Not really.
01:49:15Sorry, this isn't funny.
01:49:18The Green Party has been the only party to consistently call for a ceasefire in Israel from the moment of the first attack.
01:49:26And we also are advocating for a full weapons ban.
01:49:31Let's say, sorry, a full ban on exporting of weapons from the UK to Israel.
01:49:39Before I think peace is going to be obtained, what has to happen is that I think pressure has to be put on the leadership in Israel.
01:49:49You know, this war that they are conducting is not a war of the people of Israel.
01:49:56It is the war of a crooked bunch of people right at the very top, Benjamin Netanyahu and his comrades.
01:50:04And it's the pressure on him that has to be applied.
01:50:07We would look for a two-state solution and the return of the hostages and end to the killing. Thank you.
01:50:15Okay, Louis.
01:50:19I believe that the British government has strict agreements around arms licenses.
01:50:24And I'm not going to sit here tonight and pontificate on whether that's right or wrong.
01:50:29I imagine there are teams of lawyers that will decide these things very specifically.
01:50:33And there are agreements in place already to decide who we sell arms to and provide intelligence for.
01:50:38Okay, so it's obviously a tragic situation.
01:50:41But I think the very specific question the lady asked was, would I support an arms embargo right now on this stage against selling arms and providing support to Israel?
01:50:50No. No, I wouldn't.
01:50:52They have a right to defend themselves.
01:50:54And we can think what we like about that.
01:50:57There are strong opinions on both sides.
01:50:59I'm not an international lawyer.
01:51:01And to pretend I know the answer to that question would be false.
01:51:04But I think a country has a right to defend itself.
01:51:07And that's my position.
01:51:09Okay, Susan.
01:51:11Bridget, thank you.
01:51:14This conflict has been going on since 1948.
01:51:20Unfortunately, it's going to take a lot of reconciliation from both sides.
01:51:26And it's not a very easy thing for me to discuss.
01:51:31The only thing I would say, in order that Palestine can be free, we have to free Palestine from Hamas.
01:51:45Okay, I'm going to try and squeeze this through and finish on time.
01:51:50But I'm conscious there's one question I want and then to go to a summary.
01:51:53And it's a short question.
01:51:55But I'm not sure about the answer being short.
01:51:58But anyway, one minute to the candidates.
01:52:00Brexit's not working, what next?
01:52:03Is the question.
01:52:05Short.
01:52:06And can we go...
01:52:08Actually, I'd like to go a loop on this one first, if that's okay.
01:52:11Can I start with you?
01:52:12Sure.
01:52:13I think the person we would want...
01:52:14Sorry?
01:52:15Sorry?
01:52:16Oh, sorry, 30 seconds.
01:52:1730 seconds.
01:52:18Yeah.
01:52:19Okay, so the person we would want to ask this to is actually Rosie Duffield.
01:52:21And so this is the problem of her not being here.
01:52:23It's the Labour Party that have got an ambiguous policy on what's going to happen
01:52:26regarding our relationship with the EU in about a month's time.
01:52:29So I think it's worthwhile considering that.
01:52:32In terms of...
01:52:33I mean, when we think about what's going on with Brexit, it's very complicated.
01:52:36I've got 30 seconds to talk about an entire trading arrangement.
01:52:38It's not exactly a fair question.
01:52:40We could continue if you want.
01:52:42Do you want to extend the time?
01:52:43No, we've got to finish at 9 o'clock.
01:52:45I'm sorry.
01:52:46So try and do it.
01:52:47It's the art of brevity, I think.
01:52:48Thank you, as you know as a lecturer.
01:52:51So, Henry, 30 seconds.
01:52:55I was working in a warehouse in 2021, I think it was, in Faversham, an M&S warehouse.
01:53:01And I was pushing trolleys to get goods onto lorries that would then be taken to 15 stores
01:53:08that were in France at that time.
01:53:11And I worked right up until New Year's Eve.
01:53:15And then on New Year's Day, a new set of customs regulations came in as a result of Brexit.
01:53:20And at that point, it was impossible to get any goods across the country.
01:53:26And they closed all 15 stores down.
01:53:28And everyone who was involved in that lost their jobs.
01:53:34Russ?
01:53:37You've got a choice.
01:53:38The Liberal Democrats are unapologetically internationalist and we're pro-European.
01:53:43If I am your representative in the House of Commons, I will be fighting my hardest
01:53:47to put a path back to Europe, to our friends in Europe, our closest business,
01:53:51and our closest allies, if you like.
01:53:54And that's what I'll be working towards.
01:53:57I think, personally, Brexit was a huge mistake.
01:53:59I realise it was a democratic decision, but I think it was based largely on a lot of falsehoods
01:54:03that we now have to recognise.
01:54:05And I think we have to put that behind us.
01:54:07OK.
01:54:10OK.
01:54:11Louise.
01:54:15It's nice to hear such joy, but face to the candidate, please.
01:54:22Thank you.
01:54:23I think, in terms of Brexit, whether you voted for it or whether you voted against it,
01:54:27I think it's something that has been done.
01:54:30And I think it's something that we need to focus on delivering now.
01:54:35And that we need to focus on delivering now.
01:54:37In terms of benefits, it has brought benefits to our farming.
01:54:40What?
01:54:44You may disagree with me.
01:54:46Thank you very much.
01:54:47And that's absolutely fine.
01:54:48We live in a democracy.
01:54:50But, as I say, whether you voted for or whether you voted against,
01:54:53I think we need to just get on with it now.
01:54:55Thank you.
01:54:57Thank you.
01:54:58OK.
01:54:59Bridget.
01:55:00Brexit was a huge opportunity,
01:55:03but the government hasn't taken advantage of the full benefits of Brexit.
01:55:11With...
01:55:13No, that's not it.
01:55:1415 seconds.
01:55:15No, we...
01:55:18We need to implement Brexit properly.
01:55:22But one advantage for Brexit
01:55:27was that we were able to trade freely with the rest of the world.
01:55:31And in that, we have gone from...
01:55:3330 seconds up.
01:55:34We've gone from the seventh biggest exporter to the fourth.
01:55:39OK.
01:55:4030 seconds up.
01:55:41Thank you very much.
01:55:42OK.
01:55:43Right.
01:55:44I'm going to try and bring this to an end.
01:55:46I'd just like to say...
01:55:47I mean, there's been so many people here,
01:55:49and you just can't get through all the questions.
01:55:51I haven't even imagined
01:55:53how difficult it must be to try and bring this together.
01:55:56We're coming over to the opportunity now for the candidates, actually,
01:55:59to sum up.
01:56:00So, the candidates have, essentially,
01:56:06one minute now to say why...
01:56:12Well, why me?
01:56:14Why you, rather, not me.
01:56:18So, why vote for you?
01:56:19And can we...
01:56:20I'd like to go...
01:56:22I think I'm going to go in the same order as which we started.
01:56:24It might be a quite nice way of doing it.
01:56:26So, Luke.
01:56:27So, I've lived in Canterbury my whole life.
01:56:30I went to Canterbury College.
01:56:32I went to the University of Kent.
01:56:34I was a postman, school teacher,
01:56:36and now I'm a lecturer here.
01:56:38And so, I think...
01:56:40SDP policies, if you've just encountered us tonight for the first time,
01:56:44which I think if you're under 50 is probably very likely,
01:56:46I would say go away and read our manifesto.
01:56:49It's quite unusual. It's quite different.
01:56:51It's not going to fall into the normal camps of left and right
01:56:54that you're used to hearing about in politics.
01:56:56And I think tonight I'm not needed by notes
01:56:58because the policies that we have are simple and pragmatic and realistic.
01:57:02I don't need a list of notes to read off of
01:57:04because actually what we propose is doable and achievable
01:57:07and I think it's pretty much in line with where most of the British public are.
01:57:10So, if the only thing you do tonight is go away,
01:57:12have a breeze through the manifesto,
01:57:14and remember what I said at the beginning,
01:57:16that of all parties, we're resolutely and unequivocally
01:57:19for freedom of thought, freedom of expression, and freedom of speech.
01:57:22So, if you value those things
01:57:24and you want to vote against oppressive behaviour and cancel culture,
01:57:27vote for me at this election.
01:57:30Louise.
01:57:32Thank you.
01:57:34You've heard from all of us this evening on a range of issues.
01:57:38We're all passionate and we all want to do our best for you.
01:57:42But with the greatest respect to my colleagues who are here this evening,
01:57:46I believe this seat will be won by one of two candidates,
01:57:50Labour's Rosie Duffield or myself.
01:57:53Canterbury has had a Labour MP for the past seven years
01:57:57and in that time we have been unable to discuss local issues that matter
01:58:02in favour of more controversial opinions.
01:58:05I know that many of you want that to change.
01:58:08I am someone local, someone with life experience,
01:58:12and someone who is tenacious and determined.
01:58:15You can be sure that Canterbury will be safe in my hands.
01:58:19A vote for any other candidate will keep Labour in this seat.
01:58:22So, I put this to you.
01:58:24If you would like someone who could be here for you,
01:58:27who will remain local,
01:58:29who can discuss and champion issues that matter to you
01:58:32and who can be fair, then vote for me on July 4th.
01:58:35Thank you.
01:58:37Bridget.
01:58:39I'm asking you to vote for me because with Reform UK,
01:58:44we know what a woman is, we know how to balance the books
01:58:49and we know the price of milk
01:58:52and we want somebody, we need a party to represent you
01:58:58who gives you freer choice of your lifestyle,
01:59:04your ability to choose which schools you want your children to go to,
01:59:10which hospitals you want to go to
01:59:13and better public services for all generations.
01:59:17If I vote for Reform UK,
01:59:20it will give you a better standard of living
01:59:24and also we need to turn this country around 180 degrees
01:59:30because we cannot keep going to and fro with the same old policies.
01:59:36OK. Thank you very much.
01:59:38Henry.
01:59:41This boils down to a question of what kind of country you want to live in.
01:59:46Do you want to live in a country where you cannot get dentist appointments?
01:59:50Do you want to live in a country where the schools are falling down?
01:59:53Do you want to live in a country where the poorest 20% are now poorer
01:59:58than the poorest 20% in Slovenia?
02:00:01Or do you want to live in a green, fair, tolerant and prosperous country?
02:00:08Because that's what the Green Party can promise you.
02:00:10So a vote for us is a vote for that.
02:00:13Thank you very much.
02:00:17And Russ.
02:00:23Well, as this job interview comes to a close,
02:00:25I want to tell you why I want the job.
02:00:28I think my career, my track record is one of service,
02:00:31service to the nation, service to the community.
02:00:35Latterly, business. I understand business.
02:00:38I've grown two businesses.
02:00:40One of them I sold to a PLC,
02:00:42so I understand how to run a business
02:00:44and what a strategy is to make something a success.
02:00:47The dream team for me is to be working with a Canterbury council
02:00:50that's led by Liberal Democrats.
02:00:52Some of your councillors are here tonight from the Liberal Democrats.
02:00:55Working with them to come up with a strategic plan
02:00:58that can take Canterbury to aspirations
02:01:02that it's probably not thought of before.
02:01:04And above all, I want to promote a culture of fairness.
02:01:09So I will be that voice in the House of Commons,
02:01:12speaking in the House of Commons,
02:01:14not only for fairness across the whole of our community,
02:01:17but I'll be in the vanguard of taking us back towards Europe.
02:01:21And I will be, above all, be a champion for Canterbury.
02:01:25So a vote for a champion for Canterbury
02:01:28will be a vote for me and the Liberal Democrats.
02:01:30Thank you.
02:01:32OK. I'm conscious that was supposed to end at nine.
02:01:35I'm going to be in serious trouble.
02:01:37We're going to finish on one thing,
02:01:39but we asked a question right at the beginning
02:01:41if people knew who they were going to vote for.
02:01:44Can I just change the question again
02:01:46and ask people to put their hands up
02:01:48if they've changed their view throughout the debate
02:01:51from where they were at the beginning.
02:01:53Has anybody changed their opinion?
02:01:57Wow. That's kind of interesting.
02:02:00I don't know what that says about debates and opinion polls,
02:02:03but there you go.
02:02:05Well, who here at least has found it interesting
02:02:07what I'm feeling today, Jim?
02:02:09That's what political debates are about.
02:02:11I'd like to thank our candidates
02:02:13and I'd actually like to thank our audience
02:02:15because there's been a lot of debate in the press
02:02:17about this constituency recently as well.
02:02:19So thank you to everybody.
02:02:21Thank you to the University Departments
02:02:23and thank you to the candidates.
02:02:25Thank you so much.
02:02:27APPLAUSE
02:02:39Thank you.
02:03:09Thank you.