Richmond Park parliamentary candidates share their stance on the area's most pressing issue
By Cesar Medina
2nd Jul 2024 | General Election 2024
Richmond Nub News reached out to Richmond Park candidates and asked questions on what each thought was the area's most pressing issue. Here are their responses.
Laura Coryton MBE - Labour Party
"There are many pressing national and local issues which constituents care deeply about.
"Nationally, residents have shared with me a real concern about rising poverty levels and homelessness. This concern is valid.
"Locally, food bank use has increased from 137,248 visits from April 2017 to March 2018, to 384,477 visits between April 2022 and March 2023. Furthermore, 59% of people in Richmond Park are worried about not being able to pay their energy bills next year.
"Labour will tackle poverty by breaking down barriers to opportunity, growing the economy and putting free breakfast clubs in every primary school so no child goes through the school day hungry.
"We will also create Great British Energy, the UK's first publicly-owned green energy company which will bring our bills down and stop us from having to rely on overseas energy sources such as Russia.
"Local people also care about house prices and homelessness.
"Today in this constituency, 560 children are living in temporary accommodation, 1.2K people are recorded as homeless, and 5,400 people are on the social housing waiting list.
"This kind of housing insecurity is unacceptable. Many young people who grow up here are having to leave due to rising house prices.
"Labour has a plan to get Britain building. We will introduce a blitz of planning reform to quickly boost housebuilding to buy and rent and deliver the biggest boost to affordable housing in a generation, enhancing local voice on 'how' housing is built with communities confident plans will be delivered.
"We will also introduce significant measures to help young people buy their first times, including building 1.5 million homes and our Freedom to Buy mortgage guarantee scheme.
"So many young people in this constituency are stuck in the private rented sector. We will change this.
"As your local MP, I would ensure we gain the affordable housing we need to strengthen the heart of our communities and ensure our young people can afford to live and raise families here.
"Locally, one of my biggest priorities is getting Hammersmith bridge open. It's clear our current local Liberal Democrat MP and Conservative government have failed to resolve the wrangling over funding.
"In contrast, Rachel Reeves has already committed to working with Sadiq Khan on the restoration project.
"This, combined with a strong local Labour MP, would guarantee the reopening of this historic and vital bridge as soon as possible.
"The closure of the bridge has served to highlight the increasingly acute traffic problems which choke many roads in the constituency and surrounding area. These will only be made worse by the many building developments due to take place around the area.
"Another big priority for me will be to ensure that no developers change our community without listening to and respecting local views.
"The Mortlake Brewery redevelopment scandal is a perfect example of why we need a Labour MP to hold our current Liberal Democrat-run council to account and stop them from caving in to what developers want rather than the local people.
"They have passed several proposals to turn the historic Mortlake Brewery into hundreds of luxury flats, which would only congest our roads and impose onto our green spaces, and fail to provide the affordable homes we badly need.
"Sadiq Khan has been the only politician to intervene and block these plans. You need a Labour MP able to stand up to the council alongside the Mayor to protect our local spaces and ensure any development we welcome is designed to enhance the local community, not exploit it.
"There are so many pressing national and local problems your MP will need to tackle, head on.
"As a gender equality activist, author and social entrepreneur who has changed UK and EU laws and ended sexist legislation, I am used to getting things done and making real positive change.
"If elected as your local MP, I will work tirelessly to serve the people of Richmond Park and North Kingston.
"We could become a shining example of what can be achieved with a strong Labour government, Mayor, MP and incredible constituents.
"Vote for what you believe in. Vote Labour.
"I have spoken with people across the Richmond Park constituency. Their most pressing concerns (locally) are crime and safety, the protection of our beautiful parks and green spaces, support for local businesses, our local education provision and local transport links.
"Importantly, residents don't feel like they have a strong voice on the green benches. They don't feel their voices are heard and represented.
"My promise to people living in Richmond Park and North Kingston is that I will always listen to you. Your priorities will be my priorities. I will never back down on fighting for what matters to you most.
Sara Gezdari - Conservative Party
"A third runway expansion at Heathrow, I, like local residents, stand against this expansion.
"I am also against the expansion of night flights. Although Heathrow is a private company, I will do all I can to leverage and influence to ensure that any work considers and adheres to strict level limits on noise and air quality.
"East Sheen Park Gate - like many locals, I believe it should be opened more widely.
"Its closure is increasing congestion. On traffic more widely, if elected, I will work with local authorities and combined organisations to create a long-term traffic infrastructure plan for Richmond Park.
"Hammersmith Bridge - I want to see the political games stop. I am a local in Barnes, I know the difficulties we face because of the closure of Hammersmith Bridge.
"We need the fixing of the bridge to be resolved. I have been investigating TfL taking over accountability of the bridge, they have the funds to fix it.
"The government gave £6.6billion to TfL and I would like to ensure this is used to get our bridge open again.
"Labour's planned Education Tax - 26.4% of students in Richmond Park go to a fee-paying school.
"Labour's plan risks 6,542 school places, makes opportunity for SEND students uncertain and will result in higher taxes for everyone. If elected, I will continuously work to protect all forms of our fantastic local education provision."
Sarah Olney - Liberal Democrat
"Last year, I ran a survey asking residents what they believed to be the biggest issues facing our community and Britain. Thousands of people responded and overwhelmingly residents' three top issues were the economy, NHS, and policing and crime.
"It's why I've fought so hard to bring in a proper windfall tax to help with the cost of living, why I'm fighting to improve conditions for GPs, and why I've pushed the police to increase their numbers in Richmond Park and create a new police station in our community.
I know how many residents are worried about rising crime. Richmond is the only borough split across both sides of the Thames and it's untenable that areas like Barnes or Ham's "local" police station is in Twickenham.
"3000 people backed my petition to build a new police station in Richmond Park and I will make sure their voices are heard.
"Hammersmith Bridge is a constant issue for many in the community. Over the last 4 years, I've fought very hard to keep the issue in the media and on the Government's agenda.
"We will very likely have a new Government on July 5th, and I've worked extremely closely with Labour MPs on this project; they've committed to getting the bridge reopened, and I plan to hold their party to that commitment.
"Finally, Heathrow remains a constant threat to our community. Since taking office, I've worked to stall the third runway's construction, and following my campaign against night flights, the airport has agreed to a ban on flying after midnight starting in 2025.
"Unfortunately, the Conservative's refusal to rule out the project has meant the 3rd Runway is back on the table, but ensuring it cannot be built continues to be one of my highest priorities."
Chas Warlow - Green Party
"The most pressing issue locally is the high cost of living, particularly housing and transport. It's impossible for young people (including my children) to find anywhere to live locally that they can afford, even when they have a decently-paid job.
"The Green Party proposes to build 150,000 social rent homes a year and to provide funding for a massive upgrade of existing homes to improve their energy efficiency.
"That will also make homes less draughty and warmer and save residents money on their bills. We want to support tenants by banning no-fault evictions and bringing in rent controls so that key workers like teachers, NHS staff and carers can afford to live here.
"Water quality, air quality and plastic pollution are also key issues here - anyone who has swum or floated on the Thames in our area will have seen the rubbish in the river - and not just of the plastic variety! The Green Party would take the water companies into public ownership so that they can be publicly accountable.
"We would also stop the plan to abstract water at Teddington Weir and replace it with treated sewage. There must be a better way of providing water for the other side of London!
"Hammersmith Bridge is also an issue that is often raised by residents in the eastern part of the constituency (in Barnes, Mortlake, Sheen).
"It's clear that the ping-pong battle between the three major parties in the area has not solved the problem and the proposal to spend £250 million on rebuilding the bridge as a (temporary) double-decker bridge looks pretty crazy to me.
"I've been talking to the campaigning group Possible about a solution that would cost a fraction of that amount and would involve opening the bridge to pedestrians, cyclists and providing a public transport solution to make sure people can get from A to B in the most environmentally-friendly way - and without congestion!"
We were not able to provide responses from all candidates as some did not respond to our request.
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