Deciding who to vote for

I've just returned from the hustings, at a local church where four of our general election candidates were asked questions by members of the public.  It was quite well attended but only by new voters and the over fifties.  I decided to record as much of what was said, as possible in the vain hope that is might help the people who have yet to decide who to vote for.  I think it might be time to learn shorthand, as I have serious hand cramp, ran out two pens and might have failed to get everything down (although I did try really hard to write the questions and answers verbatim.

As usual, for these things, I was a bit late and missed the introductions.  The candidates were Beverley Acevedo (UKIP), Zoe O'Connell (Liberal Democrat), Peter Edwards (Labour) and John Whittingdale (Conservative).  I believe that there will be a Green, Independent and Sustainable Population Party candidate but they weren't at the hustings and because I missed the beginning I can't tell you whether they were invited.  The Chairman was Mark Ambrose, the vicar of the church.

Question 1: Richard Little

Do you think the proliferation of food banks is a good reflection of society today?

Zoe: No. The only way to fix it is to continue on the path we are on with the Conservative and Lib Dem coalition to cut the deficit.
Peter: It's very sad that people are having to rely on them.  You have to take your hat off to how hard people are working.  There are 1.4m people on zero hours contracts. I have concerns that people are going because they are hungry not because food banks are being advertised, as people are saying.
John:  They are a good thing.  It shows a willingness of people to help and support others.  We are a very generous nation. They are not new. There are more in Germany than in Britain.  There should be no question that people in need should qualify for help but they will always need more.  They are now advertised in job centres.  I would say that it is best to get people into work.  A job is the greatest form of welfare and under the Conservatives unemployment is down 60%.
Bev:  It's irrelevant how many there are in Germany.  It's that they're here. We in this day and age should not need food banks.
Q: Mr Whittingdale, If food banks are necessary why doesn't your government provide them through the welfare state?
John: We do have a benefits system .....[hand cramp]......
Q: Under the Conservatives, why did you vote in the European parliament to refuse to agree a grant to help foodbanks.
John:  The idea of our tax money being sent to Europe to be sent back to us doesn't seem appropriate.
Question 2:  Alfie Chapman (Plume School Student)

In 2010 the government voted to raise tuition fees to £9k. Do you think this has had an effect on social mobility?

Peter: I think it has had a damaging effect and has meant that young people will have a noose of debt around their neck for years to come.  I'm cross that the Lib Dems knew they couldn't keep their election promise.  Labour propose to cut it to £6k.  We need to guarantee an income but we don't want to put people off.  It's a cap on inspiration.
John: The evidence, so far, says it hasn't had a damaging effect.  People are still applying.  My daughter has just done so and I know just how tough it still is to get in (can't help feeling he sounded a bit disappointed).  Those on low income get more help than they did before. Universities were underfunded.  If you go to University your earning potential is higher.  You don't have to pay until you reach that higher level of income and some people never get there.
Bev: We propose to scrap University fees for certain courses and I'm afraid it's not a course I know you are studying but we will not have fees for Science, Maths and Engineering.  Less than 11% have paid anything back so we would have money to do it.
     Q:How much would it cost?
Bev:  I don't have costings just percentages.
Zoe:  [I found her very difficult to hear] .....seeing an increase in people applying to University so it has worked.
Peter:  Do you think Nick Clegg was wrong to sign the pledge? [I wasn't aware that he had - or did they try to make all Lib Dem leaders non-drinkers after what happened with Charles Kennedy?]
Zoe:  Yes I do........ [argument about who attacked who on the issue and who was more 'two faced']  As no party is going to win an overall majority isn't it a bit dangerous for anyone to say we'll do everything we promised when you know you might be in a coalition?
Alfie: OECD found that the UK was the worst for social mobility, so if some progress has been made then much more needs to be done.
Q:  Less students are going to Oxbridge from working class backgrounds than they were in the 60's.
Q:  There are bursaries for the poor and the rich have enough money to pay for their children but for people like me, whose parents earn enough are struggling.  How are you going to help the people in the middle?
John: This is why the Labour government developed the loan system, which we have continued.  It isn't a question of your parents paying for you.  It's you paying it when you earn a decent salary.
Q: What about the living fees?  If you are poor you get a maintenance grant but parents have to top up the living expenses that aren't covered by the minimum maintenance loan.  My parents will have three children at University and I don't know how they'll cope.
John:  I have two children, one about to start and one just coming out the other end. I know how much it costs.  It's a shame that there isn't the maintenance grant that I was lucky enough to get when I went to University but it simply doesn't exist anymore and we can't return to it because there isn't any money.

Question 3:  Tony Day

In light of the Conservative announcement of Right to Buy, will this not exacerbate the problem for provision of social housing in the Maldon district?

Peter: I have deep concerns that we are still paying the price for selling off the housing stock under the Thatcher government in the eighties.  1400 people are on the waiting list for social housing in Maldon. In the past houses were sold off and not replaced.  They say that they will be under this new scheme but I can't see any way of replacing the housing stock in sufficient numbers, so it will only exacerbate the problem.
Bev: UKIP agrees with Right to Buy however the money should be used to replace all that are sold off.
John: The Right to Buy in the Eighties has cause the biggest jump in home ownership.  There is now no council housing in Maldon - it is all housing association and it is good to allow housing association tenants to have these opportunities.  It should be that it gets put back into social housing. We will make it easier to build those, especially on brownfield sites.  Ultimately, that will be the responsibility of the local council, although there will be planning issues and I'm sure there will be questions later about planning and the local development plan (ha ha) [the laugh was a bit odd and there weren't]
Peter: There's nothing wrong with aspiration to home ownership but why have we only heard of it now?
John: Because it's a Conservative policy not a Coalition policy.
Zoe:  Lib Dems don't believe in Right to Buy.  It will cause problems.......[things I couldn't hear] Money does not get reinvested.
Q: Wouldn't it be a good idea if owners who rent for profit were forced to sell their houses to their tenants?
John:  The answer is no. We don't live in a police state where we can force people to sell their own property.
Q: Are housing associations under the control of the government then? Because I thought they were private companies and you can force them?
Q:  I'm involved in property and selling off council houses has caused the biggest problem ever.  People in need should have access to houses but too many people (including politicians) are making money from it. If a house is worth an £600 rent then the landlord will charge £800 rent and taxpayers are subsidising the landlords to get richer and richer.
Q: This seems a triumph of political dogma over any real benefit. The problem with this is that they can buy the stock at 30% of the value and this will not allow building of new property.  Housing Associations were developed to provide social housing and that has been successful. Many housing associations offer shared ownership already and under this policy it will be ruled out.  I would like to see abolishment of purchase by foreign or corporate investment groups.
Mark Ambrose: (called for a show of hands) the majority were against Right to Buy.

Question 4:  Tony [couldn't hear surname]

Is the economic recovery really real?

Mark: [Gave some statistics about the wealth gap] The richest man in the UK has £13.7 billion - I'd like to see him try to spend that.
Zoe:  [couldn't hear but thought she said;] Yest it's real?  There are more billionaires in this country.  I have no problem with more money moving here.  The trick is separating them, in the nicest possible way, from their money.
John:  If you go to the High Street in Maldon and talk to the shopkeepers and restaurant owners, as I do, they say, "Yes it is," (some jeering).  Unemployment is down by 60% in this area (everyone was shouting).  The level of debt is still going up but the deficit is halved.  Reducing debt will take more time.  More billionaires is a good thing.  They pay more money into the economy.  If people earn more money they pay more taxes to help those that don't.
Bev: I'm a restaurant owner and I'm sorry Mr Whittingdale, that is rubbish.  In Maldon High Street two ladies dress shops have closed (someone shouted out that they had, in fact, relocated and were doing very nicely, thank you.  She was briefly flustered but continued)  I don't know who you've spoken to but the people I know don't feel the same way.
Peter: I don't feel better off than I did 5 years ago and I don't suppose you do either and that's the problem.  The recovery has benefited the top 5% only.  If we are better off then who is benefiting? (Someone shouted: Tony Blair).  All I would say is that child poverty was down under Tony Blair.
Bev: There is a big divide between those that have lots of money and those that have none.  UKIP have acknowledged that it's going to be especially tough for women.
Tony: Over the last five years I'm better off.  I'm a pensioner and so is my wife.  My pension is protected.  I get a free bus pass, TV licence and excellent pension bonds.  I'm enjoying this.  I feel quite well off but I worry that David Cameron is buying my silver voted.  We are being asked to support him by his fiddling.
Q: What has the government done to stimulate the economy?
[hand cramp]
............We have had 4 million immigrants who have stimulated the economy.
[hand cramp]
John: Professional economists disagree with you.  The economy has grown.
Q: Economists suggest that GDP is peaking now, so whoever is in charge will find that their numbers won't work in 5 years.
John:  Negative growth happens rarely and that's called a recession.  We are out of it now.  All expectations are the the economy will continue to grow. No one is forecasting that we are going to have negative growth.  Of course it's going to get bigger next year.
Peter:  The economy is growing but what is the cause of it.  For example the help to buy mortgages have stimulated house buying but no new houses are being built so it's a short term plan.
Bev: How about the national debt.  It's currently 1.6billion increasing by 2 million a week.  What a terrible legacy to leave our children.
Zoe:   (Can't hear)  We need to keep spending at a level that is reasonable.  If we want to get the deficit down we need to keep spending responsibly.  Spend money we've actually got, not like Labour's plans.
Q:  Osborne has not met the economic targets he set.  I'm better off because I am also a pensioner but my children are worse off.  John is wrong.  We have the worst trade deficit.  Rents of risen by 27% in London and 30% of Council house that were sold by Thatcher are now owned by multinational corporate investment companies.

Question 5. (Didn't hear questioners name)

Islamic state seem determined to eradicate Christianity.  What do you propose to do about it?

John:  It's terribly difficult.  48hours ago I was in Armenia, for the commemoration of the Genocide where thousands of Christians were killed.  There are two things, though. What is happening is Britain with people who have been radicalised is not a matter for party politics.  We are working together with the vast number of Muslims who are against this radicalisation.  The second thing is going to war.  Unless there is a very direct threat to this country I would be reluctant to send in troops.
Bev:  I think the current government is scared to speak out on this issue. They don't want to be called racist.  I couldn't agree more that we can't have this Islamic State coming here and not abide by our laws.  We are British people and we should be proud of being British.  There is a woman in my bank who has been told not to wear a cross because it might offend one person she works with, who is Muslim.  We mustn't kowtow to these people.
Peter:  I think the question was about IS rather than a Christian's right to wear a crucifix. This is a very difficult problem and it's going to take years to resolve.  An insular attitude won't help use.  We have to work internationally with the UN and the aid agencies.  It's a generational problem and it's possible that after election we will become more involved in Syria because things are not getting better there.
Zoe:  Just going ahead and invading isn't a solution and it isn't a solution here.  We tried it in Iraq and it didn't work. Radicalisation is a problem.  People of all faiths are being killed under terrible circumstances.
Q: Can I make a point to the UKIP candidate?  If we go for separation we alienate people further.  Most Muslims are generous, law abiding people.
Bev: Of course they are. It's the people who are dangerous that we need to tackle.
Q: There was a recent interview with a defence person and he was asked if the cuts had made an impact and he said, "Yes because Britain is seen as weaker."  Why has that been allowed to happen?
Zoe:  I think part of it is a perception that Britain is weaker.  We are no longer a world player and we have to accept that we can't go somewhere with a gunboat and say, "Do what we say or else."  I don't think that's always a bad thing.  Having spent 5 years in the Army reserve, I know about these things.
Peter:  I'd like to pick up the point about veterans. [I didn't hear one but then Zoe was very quiet]  We need help for former personnel.
John:  On defence, there have been reductions but we still have the second biggest defence budget in the Western world, after America  [pen ran out]
Bev:  We need to increase our defence budget but we need to stop getting involved in wars that are none of our business.

Question 6:  Andy Hunt

Do you think the best environment to bring up children is with a father and mother and that the government should encourage that?

[There is some uncomfortable shifting on the panel and a few embarrassed giggles in the audience]

Bev:  Yes, of course but it doesn't always happen that way.  Divorce happens but I do think we should try harder in marriage, especially when children are involved, we need to try to make the marriage work.
Peter:  It is certainly not the only family unit and it is important that government should support all types of families.  Marriage is important but it's not the only way.
John: All the research shows that the best life chances for children come from families with two parents who stay together and are married but you can't legislate to make that happen. If marriages fail then both parents should still have a responsibility for that child. Parents should take responsibility to raise and provide maintenance of the children.
Zoe: [looking uncomfortable] I'll be blunt. NO. I don't believe that at all.  Love trust and openness is the most important. As a transgenger woman in a same sex marriage I can tell you that there is a lot of pressure heaped on people who don't appear to conform. The state should encourage them to be who they are.
Q:  John, what about gay partnerships as you consistently voted against gay marriage.
John: It's difficult. I was conscious that a lot of people were upset by the marriage.  I thought there was no need for it as the legal problems were addressed by legal partnerships.
Zoe: What about churches who wanted to marry people, such as the Quakers?
John: With all due respect to the Quakers but they are very small.
Zoe: So you are saying small faiths don't have the same rights as large faiths? If they wanted to marry people, why shouldn't they?
John: They could have had a ceremony but marriage wasn't needed.
Andy: As a Christian I fear that as a society where we pick and ditch our Judeo Christian principals we see the knock on effects on our society.

Question 7:Bob Sachs

With cuts to community services how would you go about empowering charities such as churches to fill the gap?

Peter: A lot of charities are finding life tougher; grants cut. The environment that they are working in is more hostile.  It comes back to the broad question of money and how we do it. It's about finding a fairer way of cutting the deficit.  We don't want to cut the deficit on the shoulders of the poor.
Bev:  I'm concerned that places like hospices and the air ambulance are charities.  I can't believe that. I think they should be backed by government. Charities should be supported by government.
John: We've been through some very difficult years.  Charities, by definition, are doing things that government doesn't do.  We are a very generous country.  We can do things to help charities through tax relief. The air ambulance this year was paid for by fines from one or two banks who were being silly.  We have done things to help, such as saying that people can have three days off to help with charitable causes.
Zoe: A large proportion of funding for charities comes from local government grants and budgets have been squeezed. Right now, we are coming out of a phase where there is no money and we will be able to give them more money by devolving decisions of how funding is distributed to local councillors.
Q: It's interesting that you've chosen to talk about money. There are assets that the council sit on that aren't being used.
John: Property you mean?  Maldon District Council do make available property rent free to charities. Not all of them, of course, but the Citizen's Advice Bureau.  It's also the case that local authorities do give money.  I have been involved with the Dengie Project Trust and that money comes from the tax payer.  it is a service that is necessary and if the Charity wasn't there the NHS would have to find a way to do it, so it saves tax payer money.

Has it helped us decide who to vote for?  I'm not sure. The Long Suffering Husband wished that he could vote for the chairman but I do know that we will both be voting and not spoiling our ballot papers (which whatever anyone says is just not voting with some effort) because there is a reason that pensioners are the only people that feel better off and that is because they engage with politics and actually vote.

Silver voters