In the lead-up to the General Election on July 4 the Citizen will be running a series of interviews with the seven candidates hoping to be the next MP for North East Cambridgeshire.
Each of the seven: Steve Barclay (Conservative), David Chalmers (Lib Dem), Andrew Crawford (Green), Javeria Hussain (Labour), David Patrick (Independent), Clayton Payne (Workers Party of Britain), Chris Thornhill (Reform), will be asked a series of the same questions to give voters more of an understanding of themselves and their views.
Here Steve Barclay who is hoping to retain the seat for the Conservatives outlines what has motivated him to re-stand for election, and what he hopes to achieve should he win the seat next month.
Steve currently lives near Wisbech, and has held various ministerial roles including Health Secretary over the past 14 years of the Conservative government.
It has been a few weeks since the election was called how is your campaign going?
“I have been getting out meeting residents across Fenland both on the doorstep and at community events like the Gorefield Show which I attend each year.
“We have been communicating the plan I have for North east Cambridgeshire building on the record levels of investment secured in recent years so that we ensure we don’t get back to being the forgotten Fens, which was a concern raised with me before I became MP.
“It is always great to be out and about talking with local residents. As someone who is part of the community it is my priority to be a local champion securing investment. The campaign is a good opportunity to discuss local issues like investment in roads such as at the Guyhirn roundabout and King’s Dyke in Whittlesey, new school facilities like the skills centre in Chatteris or the new special school approved for March which is fully funded and the special school in Barton Road, Wisbech which is already open.”
What sort of response have you had so far?
“The response has been quite positive. I know there is more to do including ensuring the proposed reservoir between Chatteris and March and the clear benefits it will bring goes ahead. Stopping the incinerator for Wisbech and tackling waste dumping at Saxon Pit in Whittlesey are also important.”
Why are you running for MP again?
“This would be my fifth term and I have always felt it is important to serve as a local champion for the community. Living just outside Wisbech and previously having lived in March and Chatteris securing investment in our area is important to me including securing full funding for new hospitals both at Hinchingbrooke in Huntingdon and the Queen Elizabeth in King’s Lynn.
“We need more transport investment, we have seen improvement at March station, Manea station car park and the £32m investment at the King’s Dyke crossing and £17m spent at Guyhirn.
What will you do for North East Cambridgeshire if elected?
“If I were to be re-elected I would work to secure dualling of the A47 and funding for the Ely North junction so we can get rail improvements we need and I will continue to fight for the Wisbech rail.
“As I said previously ensuring the new hospitals at King’s Lynn and Huntingdon go-ahead, Labour has said they will put the schemes on hold while they carry a review. I would also ensure the new school in March also goes ahead.
“| will continue to campaign for funding for sports facilities like the recent progress seen at Leverington and Wisbech St Mary which both secured funding for 3G football pitches, and I am determined to do the same across Fenland.
“I will also be looking to continue to work with farmers, I have been working very closely with leaders within the farming community in the last few months.”
Is it a time for change?
“It is important Fenland has a local champion, who is part of the community who cares about securing investment moving forward and that will not be the same for the Labour candidate who lives in Luton and the Liberal Democrat who lives in Letchworth.
“Further if people believe the polls and think Keir Starmer will have a large majority it’s important to have Members of Parliament from areas like this who can hold the Government to account. If Labour has a super majority the result will be a shift of funding from areas like Fenland to metro areas and we would go back to being the forgotten Fens, which is what I used to hear before being elected the local MP.
“This area is a very special place and it needs a local champion who will speak up and give a local voice at a national level.”
What would your key priorities be?
“If I’m re-elected as your local MP, my top priority will be to continue standing up for the towns and villages across the constituency as I have done since first becoming your MP in 2010.
“As I have previously said continuing to secure funding for essential projects. Ensuring the news hospitals are built, better investment in transport and education facilities continues.
“Labour have not been honest about possible tax rises and people should quite rightly be worried because there will be higher tax on property, tax on pensions and other tax rises.”
What are your hopes/expectations for July 4?
“Obviously I hope to be re-elected, so I can continue the work I have been doing in Fenland and what the Conservatives have been doing in Government.
“The best way to support people moving forward is to reduce taxes, that is why we raised the tax threshold and why we cut National Insurance contributions.”
What is your final message for voters?
“My final message is I have a clear plan to make North East Cambs a great place to live, work and raise a family building on the record levels of investment secured over recent years. It’s important to have a local champion speaking up for the Fens in parliament. A vote for Reform will simply enable Keir Starmer to secure an even bigger majority and both the Labour and Liberal Democrat candidates live many miles away, as I said it’s important to have a local champion for Fenland.”
