Decided how you’ll be voting on May 7th?
We invited our local candidates to tell us about themselves, their policies and why we should vote for them.
Chris Carmichael, Green Party
“The social, economic, environmental and cultural issues facing everybody today are very real, and our actions now must take into account the well-being of future generations.
The Green Party believes that can only happen through further devolvement of powers from Westminster, channelled through the Welsh Assembly to County and community councils who have the knowledge and understanding of the needs of their people. The regeneration of towns and villages, the return to smaller, more diverse farms that serve local areas, cheaper and better suited public transport, an integrated Health and Social Service and schools that are more closely embedded within their community, offering services to their community as well as educating its children.
The Green Party is the party of social and environmental justice, supporting a radical transformation of society for the benefit of all, and for the planet as a whole. We understand that the threats to economic, social and environmental wellbeing are interconnected and form part of the same problem; we recognise that solving one of these crises cannot be achieved without solving the others. A successful society cannot be measured within narrow economic parameters, but should take account of those essential factors that affect the quality of life for all people: personal freedom, social equity, health, happiness and human fulfilment.
For this reason we stand under the banner ‘For the Common Good’ in the fight for an environment that is fit for future generations and for a society that is equitable and free to enjoy the fruits of its labour.”
Freddy Greaves, Plaid Cymru
“I am proud to be your Plaid Cymru candidate for Brecon and Radnorshire in May’s general election.
Born and raised in the area, I attended Gladestry Primary School and Builth Wells High School before graduating from Cambridge with a degree in Geology.
I have returned to Mid-Wales to raise my own family. I work full time, coordinating the support for all the young people in Powys who are disengaged from education, training and work.
I care deeply about the future of rural Wales, and this is why I am so pleased to have found a party in Plaid Cymru that has all of our best interests at heart.
May’s general election will be the most important for a generation. With the outcome expected to be very close, it is vital that strong voices from Wales are heard in Westminster.
So many people have told me that for the first time they will not be voting for one of the ‘traditional’ parties. While those parties have committed to cutting deeper into public services, Plaid Cymru rejects the negative policies of austerity.
Instead of cutting, we will protect our rural public services and invest in infrastructure and the economy, creating jobs and balancing the books without punishing the poor or ruining rural Wales.
We would introduce a fully integrated National Health & Social Care Service so that treatment is always available where and when it is most needed.
We would extend the business rates relief scheme to bring hundreds more Brecon & Radnorshire small businesses out of paying the rates altogether.
We demand the same deal on funding as Scotland, which would bring £1.2bn extra into Wales every year.
Whether you are a farmer, small business, care about our public services or the environment, whether you are young and in need of a strong economy for a job, or whether you are retired and in need of a functioning health care system, I implore you to vote for a positive future for Brecon & Radnorshire.
Please lend me your support and believe in a better future. Together we can build a fairer, more prosperous and sustainable Wales.
Vote for me, Freddy Greaves, the positive alternative, on May 7th.”
Roger Williams, Welsh Liberal Democrats
“We live in an incredibly beautiful part of our country, and I am so proud to have had the opportunity to represent us in Parliament. That’s why I want to carry on being your MP.
It’s an amazing community that I am privileged to represent, and I hate it when people talk it down. That’s why I will be out and about more than ever over the next weeks campaigning hard so that I can continue working relentlessly for local people both here at home and in Westminster. I want to continue fighting for a better deal for local people at the same time as making sure people know what a great place this is to live and work. I’m relishing the campaign ahead, and I hope I’ll get the chance to speak to as many of you as possible.
I have been campaigning alongside local people and our Assembly Member Kirsty Williams to protect and improve services for local people. We’ve protected Accident and Emergency services at Nevill Hall Hospital in Abergavenny, fought against massive overdevelopment at Cwrt-Y-Gollen, and made sure that there are no changes to police services in Crickhowell.
It’s been an interesting five years in government, and I always knew that being in coalition wouldn’t be easy. I was delighted that we implemented the Liberal Democrat number one manifesto pledge from the last election, which was to increase the personal tax threshold, meaning you can earn more money before you start paying tax. It has meant that the Liberal Democrats in government have cut tax for thousands of local people by £825 per year. In contrast, the Conservatives tried to introduce the ability for employers to fire staff at will and allow nurses and teachers in Wales to be paid less than in other parts of the UK for doing the same job. All plans I blocked.
But there is the danger of worse to come. Independent analysis by the Institute for Fiscal Studies confirms that the Conservatives want to slash public spending much harder and faster than anyone else. In fact, their devastating levels of cuts will see billions of pounds taken away from the public services we all rely on; our schools, hospitals, police and fire and rescue services. Labour want to go back to what got us into this mess in the first place, and borrow billions and billions of pounds, which will only make things worse. We in the Liberal Democrats know that getting rid of our deficit is vitally important, but we can do it in a much fairer way than the Conservatives and a more responsible way than Labour, so that we can make the stronger economy and fairer society we all deserve.”