Where will your vote go?

Between town centre regeneration, development at Coate and primary school closures there are plenty of issues facing the constituency and plenty for the candidates to tackle.

And with Julia Drown standing down as MP none of the candidates can campaign against a proven record representing the town.

Although the constituency is generally prosperous it does contain pockets of deprivation, with parts of Parks and Walcot among the most deprived 10 per cent in the country.

The council wards of Central, Parks and Walcot have unemployment rates of 3.7 to 4.3 per cent, compared to an average of two per cent across the whole borough.

Council cuts to groups such as the Walcot Family Centre earlier this year were fiercely fought and are bound to be raised by Labour candidate Anne Snelgrove as she campaigns.

But the Conservatives will argue that it is people on low and fixed incomes who needed the authority to keep the council tax rise low.

South Swindon contains areas with a high concentration of ethnic minorities, such as the Broad Green area, and with the outlying villages, like Wan-borough and Liddington, also included in the constituency the issue of Swindon's development could be important.

The prospect of development at Coate is likely to play a role in the election, especially given the presence of Green candidate Bill Hughes. But none of the candidates say they back the University of Bath's plans for a campus at Coate, which would come hand in hand with 1,800 houses and business develop-ment.

That is not surprising con-sidering more than 14,000 people signed a petition against the plans, showing the strength of local opposition.

The candidates may link the Coate issue to town centre regeneration, as many people would like to see a town centre university, although the University of Bath says this is impossible.

In West Swindon many parents are concerned about school closures to tackle surplus places.

Salt Way Primary School has already been named as the first to be put forward for closure as part of the re-organisation but a decision on further closures or amalgamations is still to be made.

Nominations for election candidates must be in by April 19

Robert Buckland, Conservative, 36, Barrister. Married with two children

ROBERT Buckland says he could bring a variety of experience to the job if he is elected as MP.

"As a barrister I know a lot firsthand about the problems of crime and I have got something to offer in terms of how we improve our criminal justice system," he says.

"So I am bringing a combination of my experience in the political process, my legal experience and my experience as a husband and father.

"I feel I have something to offer Swindon in parliament."

The former county councillor has stood for election to the European Parliament twice and for Westminster twice after joining the Conservatives 20 years ago because of his views on how to improve people's lives.

"My way of thinking was more in line with the Conservatives rather than the Labour way of state intervention which I could see had failed the country abysmally," he says.

Stephen Halden, UK Independence Party, 55. Unmarried, no children. Teaches computer skills

STEPHEN Halden believes there are no benefits to being in the European Union.

And the UK Independence Party candidate says every vote he wins in South Swindon will highlight people's opposition to the EU and keep the issue in politics.

"I would like Britain to have a British government with British MPs in Britain with a British parliament," says Mr Halden.

"I am not actually aware of any benefits of being in Europe at all."

Mr Halden, who has been chair of the Swindon branch of UKIP since January, has only been a member of the party for about one year, since shortly before last year's European elections.

The former Conservative thinks that winning seats at the election is not the only way to judge the party's success.

"Every vote is a protest against the creation of a federal European super state so every single vote is vitally important," he says.

Bill Hughes, Green, 65, married with two grown up children. Retired careers adviser

WITH the possibility of development at Coate it is not surprising the Greens are standing in South Swindon.

But for Bill Hughes the issue is much wider than just Coate.

"There should be no more expansion on green field sites," he says.

"They should use sites that are available in the existing built-up area. There is no need to build on green fields whether it is at Coate, South Marston or anywhere else."

Mr Hughes has contested every council election in Swindon since 1984 but has not stood for parliament since 1992.

"There was a big surge in support in the 1980s then it faded away," he says. "We are trying to pick ourselves up again now.

"There is a bit of disillusionment with the main parties on things like Iraq and there is concern about development issues.

"I think we should take votes from all the main parties."

Anne Snelgrove, Labour, 47, married, no children. Former teacher

ANNE Snelgrove is hoping for a smooth handover after election day.

But with Julia Drown standing down as MP Mrs Snelgrove says she knows she has to work for every Labour vote.

"Julia has been very helpful and we are hoping for a smooth handover," she says.

"The community knows me and I know the community. So it is not going to be an abrupt takeover if I am lucky enough to get elected."

But Mrs Snelgrove is not taking the result for granted.

"I am working for every vote. I think it is likely to be close so people in Swindon have got a real choice.

"I hope they will make up their minds to stay with Labour because of the real improvements we have seen in Swindon but people can't be complacent.

"If they want a Labour MP and a Labour government they have to go out and vote."

Sue Stebbing, Liberal Democrat, 53, divorced, two grown up children. Self-employed management consultant

SUE Stebbing joined the Liberal Democrats because she was impressed by their commitment to serving communities.

Twenty years later she thinks that commitment is still just as important and is standing in her first general election for the party.

"We lived in a tiny village and at election time Labour and the Tories would put leaflets through our door but all year round the Liberal Democrats put leaflets through our door," she said.

"The concept of working for the local community all year round is what I remember. That is what democracy is all about.

"Swindon's Labour voters who are very angry about the way Tony Blair has destroyed people's faith in honesty and integrity want to teach the Labour Party a lesson.

"And the best way to teach the Labour Party a lesson is to cast a vote for the Liberal Democrats who stand for honesty and trust."

Isabel Field