Battle for the North

And Penhill Primary School played host to the Adver hustings for North Swindon last night.

All six candidates for the constituency came along to answer residents' questions and there was plenty of lively debate.

Advertiser editor Mark Waldron, who chaired the meeting, was delighted with the event.

"I believe the Adver has a key role to play in inspiring interest in the political process," he said.

"I was really pleased that people turned up to listen to what the candidates had to say.

"I think we managed to stir up some healthy debate on the key issues that affect people's lives here in North Swindon.

"I am looking forward to chairing the South Swindon hustings tonight and hope plenty of readers will come along to that meeting too."

To start the evening each candidate was given four minutes to introduce themselves and their party to the audience.

Liberal Democrat candidate Mike Evemy outlined his party's policies, such as abolishing council tax and tuition fees.

He then argued that Labour had broken people's trust over Iraq.

"Trust has been broken," he said. "We need to build that trust back up and the way to do that is to vote Liberal Democrat."

Andy Newman, Socialist Unity candidate, said he was standing for a different sort of politics.

"We need change on behalf of working people and their families," he said, adding that a political climate where the Liberal Democrats seem quite left wing was 'scary'.

"I would like to go back to the taxation of the past where the rich pay more."

Independent candidate Ernie Reynolds outlined his idea of a society without money.

He believes that this would help tackle a variety of problems including crime, drugs and binge drinking as well as benefiting pensioners and the NHS.

"I am a radical," he said.

"I think in this country we need a real sea of change in what we do to provide for the ordinary people."

Robin Tingey brought along a 'power pyramid' model to show the audience just how far he feels power is actually removed from British people.

"The UK Independence Party exists because the traditional parties are committed to membership of the EU," he said.

"Give us your vote and we will give you your country back."

Conservative Justin Tomlinson outlined his party's national policies and also highlighted a non-political issue.

"One of the biggest challenges which is facing us is voter apathy," he said.

But he argued that people should take an interest in issues like council tax revaluation, pensions, cutting police paper work and removing 'endless targets' in public services.

Michael Wills focussed on what Labour had achieved since coming to power in 1997 and looked to the future.

He highlighted the economy but also what that meant for other areas of the Government's work.

"What really matter is that we can use that prosperity to deliver a fairer society," he said.

"There is a great deal more to do and we will do it."

Student debts...

What will the candidates do to reduce the debts that students face when they leave college?

Michael Wills insisted that students should make a contribution to their university education if they could afford to do so.

"University education has got to be paid for by somebody," he said.

"We think it is right that students should make some contribution but only if they can afford to."

But Justin Tomlinson insisted tuition fees were wrong.

"The Conservatives are in favour of scrapping tuition fees," he said. "We will abolish the feesafter we come to power in 11 days."

Mike Evemy also condemned tuition fees.

"Access to university should be based on ability not ability to pay," he said.

"University education should be funded through general taxation."

Andy Newman focussed on the wider benefits of education.

"People talk about the fact that people go to university and benefit but society benefits," he said.

"We need a situation where we regard education as a right not a privilege."

Robin Tingey told the meeting said his party was against top-up fees and in favour of grants for university.

"The way we are going to fund it is by leaving the EU so we won't be sending billions of pounds to Brussels," he said.

Ernie Reynolds said that students leaving university with big debts were marginalised.

He said: "Everybody in this country should have the right to education.

"That is an on-going education that produces the best that this country can deliver."

Immigration...

In the Daily Telegraph newspaper a senior Conservative backbencher said they were embarrassed by the party's immigration policy. Do you agree or disagree with that view?

Coun Tomlinson defended his party's position.

"Our clear stance on immigration is a matter of controlled immigration," he said.

"All we are looking to do is introduce a fair system."

But Mr Wills attacked the Conservative decision to focus on the subject and said there was nothing wrong in having a discussion about it.

"There is no problem with that," he said.

"What I really wonder about is why Michael Howard goes on and on and on about it as if it were the only thing that matters. Why is that?"

Coun Evemy attacked the Tories in stronger terms and said that their campaign tactics were shameful. "If I were a Conservative I would be ashamed of the campaign the Conservatives are running," he said. "It is despicable."

Mr Newman compared the numbers of asylum seekers in Swindon which was 115 to the number of babies which were born at the Great Western Hospital each year 3,000 calling that the 'real influx'.

"We have a human obligation to asylum seekers," he added.

Mr Reynolds focussed on the benefits of immigration.

"Immigration into this country has been beneficial," he said. "People brought diversity and we have benefited from that."

Mr Tingey put the focus back on controlling immigration.

"Our party wants to get immigration under control," he said.

"To get back control of our borders so we can catch terrorists and criminals."

The world's future...

We are lurching towards destroying our world and we need decisions to be taken now that will help our world in 30, 40 or 50 years time. How courageous would you be in doing this?

Mr Tingey said UKIP wanted to re-start building nuclear power stations to tackle climate change and that he believed strongly in democracy.

"In addition to restoring parliamentary democracy we will also introduce a system where one million people can petition for a legally binding referendum for the country," he said.

Coun Tomlinson, 28, said that as the youngest candidate he would look at the longer term.

"I would like to think that if I was fortunate enough to be elected I would try to look at the bigger picture," he said.

Mr Reynolds said people needed to be given more power.

"I think the power should rest with the people," he said.

"There should be a process where you can say we are not happy with this, we are going to lobby you to change your direction."

Mr Newman said more needed to be done to tackle climate change but also focussed on the power that is outside the democratic system.

"Key decisions are not under democratic control," he said.

"We need an extension of democracy into the economy."

Coun Evemy said the issue of climate change was not being discussed enough in this election and argued for a consensus on environmental issues.

"We have got to stop competing for votes on the environment," he said.

Mr Wills agreed and said voters needed to vote for parties who put forward longer term policies.

"In the end the answer lies with you," he said.

The war in Iraq...

Do the candidates think there was an alternative to the invasion of Iraq?

Mr Wills defended his decision to vote for the war.

"I still think it was the right thing to do," he said.

"But I honestly don't know whether history will judge whether it was the right thing. We believe we had to draw a line with this man."

But Coun Evemy insisted there was an alternative.

"I think we went on George Bush's timetable," he said. "We shouldn't have gone to war.

"We should have waited."

Mr Newman, who is secretary of the Swindon Stop of the War coalition, said the war was illegal.

"When the MPs went into vote they knew there was a very serious doubt that Iraq was a threat," he said.

"George Bush should be in court and Tony Blair should be alongside him. Tony Blair is a war criminal."

Mr Reynolds said the war was about America and Britain getting control of the oil supplies in Iraq.

"Eventually if we keep doing this then we are going to attack a country that has the means to fight back," he added.

Coun Tomlinson said he had given Tony Blair the benefit of the doubt over the war.

"I feel extremely angry that he has misled us," he said. I feel cheated."

Mr Tingey said he thought Iraq was not a threat and that he opposed the war.

"The best way for Iraq to have become a democracy would have been through a popular uprising of its own people," he said.

Isabel Field