GENERAL ELECTION 2015: Mid Bedfordshire candidates

CHARLYNNE PULLEN – LABOUR

Charlynne Pullen is your Labour parliamentary candidate in Mid Beds. She’s been a Labour councillor in inner London, a Unite rep at City & Guilds, and works in Further Education.

Charlynne grew up in Newport Pagnell and has family roots in Bedfordshire going back to the dawn of the Industrial Revolution. Among them, her great great grandfather, Peter Dix, served on Flitwick Parish Council from its establishment in 1894 until 1931.

Charlynne went from local state school Ousedale to the University of Oxford, and later studied part-time with the Open University. She now works in Further Education, ensuring young people have high quality vocational learning and apprenticeships taught by qualified staff.

A Labour councillor for 4 years, Charlynne was elected in 2010 to represent an inner city community bearing the brunt of the Tory government’s cuts. She fought for and helped deliver universal free school meals for primary school pupils, a living wage for all council staff, and one of the country’s leading council house building programmes.

As your Mid Beds Labour MP, Charlynne would fight to put people before profits in the NHS, ban zero-hours contracts, and tackle the cost of living crisis.

GARETH ELLIS – GREEN PARTY

“I have lived in Mid Beds for 30 years and work as the Energy & Environment Manager at Cranfield University. I am a Parish Councillor and have also served on Mid Beds District Council. As a Chartered Engineer and Environmentalist I can bring a technical and practical input into politics.

Climate change is the biggest threat we all face. I would encourage the development of new clean sustainable technologies here in Mid Beds to meet future needs, bringing long term employment and boosting the local economy. #SafeClimate.

Mid Bedfordshire needs better public transport and more local services for young and old. The Green Party will bring the railways back into public ownership, regulate the buses and reduce fares. We would prioritise safer roads for pedestrians and cyclists. #BetterTransport.

Greens would ensure the NHS remains a public service free at the point of use #PublicNHS. We would end austerity, protect public services and ensure the minimum wage is a living wage £10/hr by 2020. #FairEconomy.

We all need somewhere safe, secure and warm to live. Greens would abolish the bedroom tax and build 500,000 efficient social rented homes. #DecentHomes. We would scrap tuition fees and restore trust in teachers. #FreeEducation.”

NIGEL WICKENS – UKIP

I stand as a UKIP candidate in this General Election because I feel strongly about freedom and democracy.

This election will be the most important ever for saving the independence and sovereignty of our country and once again become a self-governing nation.

A democratic country where laws are made and our money is spent by people we elect to our Parliament and who we can remove if we do not like their decisions.

A country where we decide who we trade with globally based on our commercial needs.

A country where we forge security partnerships based on our own international priorities and where our brave service men and women are only ever asked to put their lives on the line when our country and our people are under threat.

We have to regain control of our country and properly manage many important elements of our lives, e.g. housing, education, care for the elderly, mental healthcare, GP services and hospitals. Leaving the EU and controlling our borders is instrumental in managing all of these effectively.

I recognise how important controlling development and managing the environment is to the people of Mid Bedfordshire and offer my full time commitment and service.

ANN KELLY – THE OFFICIAL MONSTER RAVING LOONY PARTY

I have lived in Flitwick for almost 28 years, serving for several years as an Independent councillor on Flitwick Town Council and serving two terms as Flitwick Town Mayor: I have also sat on the Governing bodies of two Flitwick schools. My absolute priority if elected would be representing my constituents and assisting with local issues, as a member of a minority party I will be able to do this free of the constraints of a party whip.

I would work for the abolition of zero hours contracts and helping young people through old style apprenticeships I also want to assist with securing housing for first time buyers and young families.

The OMRLP are thrilled to be contesting the seat of Mid Beds and I am very honoured to have been chosen as their representive.

It’s time for a change in Mid Beds and I hope I will be the person the electorate want to make that change. T

here is a lot of voter apathy at the moment, with people thinking that as all the main parties seem to be the same why bother to vote?

Anyone who feels that way can vote for me.”

Also running for the Mid Bedfordshire seat are Nadine Dorries, Conservative, Linda Jack, Liberal Democrats and independent Tim Ireland.