Banbury candidates answer questions at town hustings - but Labour's major contender stays away

Sean Woodcock, vying to become the Banbury’s first ever Labour MP following boundary changes, did not appear at the main Banbury presentations at St Mary’s Church on Friday.

Mr Woodcock apologised in a written statement to the hustings asking for voters’ trust in this election. His Labour press spokesman said he was unable to attend due to a prior family commitment.

However his absence caused consternation on social media and some bewilderment as one poll suggested there was only a .67 point gap between Banbury’s MP for nine years, Victoria Prentis (Con), and himself.

Suzanne Stock of Balscote attended the hustings and voiced her frustration that the Labour candidate had not appeared.

"As someone who takes voting seriously, I attended the hustings at St Mary’s Church in Banbury on Friday evening in the hope of elucidation and enlightenment on the Banbury election candidates,” she told the Banbury Guardian.

"It with some frustration that I discovered the Labour candidate, Sean Woodcock, failed to turn up without any explanation whatsoever. I found it surprising and concerning that the Labour candidate was not prepared to engage with constituents who had made the effort to attend because they wanted the opportunity to listen and assess all the candidates in person.”

The Banbury Guardian has asked Mr Woodcock to explain why he was not there. He did, however, have a statement read out in which he told voters his five priorities would be ‘tackling the cost of living, protecting the Horton hospital, championing Banbury as a modern jobs hub, fixing our broken housing market, supporting local businesses and farmers’.

In introductions, Mrs Prentis highlighted some of her nine years’ work locally and in Government, including advocating for the Horton General Hospital, improvement by 93% of Banbury’s primary schools to good or outstanding rating and her party’s efforts to create a strong and stable economy to recover from difficult years after Covid and the Ukraine war.

Paul Topley (Reform) said he was attracted to accept Reform’s invitation to stand, liking their policies for small businesses, raising the starting point for income tax, taking people off benefits and into work and its plans to end pollution of watercourses.

Chris Neville (Climate Party) said ‘we face the race of our lives’ in the challenge of climate change and environmental loss. He said his party was the only one with a plan to achieve carbon net zero and restore nature. It would withdraw subsidy from the fossil fuel industry, apply incentives to clean energy initiatives and deliver prosperity through a strong economy.

Cassi Bellingham (Ind) said she was standing on socialist principles she feels are missing in other parties. She supports ethical internationalism, and she campaigns for ‘just transition’, planning and taking action ahead of moves from a reliance on fossil fuels to green technology – without sweeping away livelihoods in the process.

Arron Baker (Green) spoke about failed privatisation, huge carbon emissions in housebuilding, nurses using foodbanks and teachers supplying classroom equipment in one of the richest countries of the world. He said the Greens would invest in the country, asking those with the broadest shoulders to pay more, so beginning to change inequality in society.

Liz Adams (Lib Dem) said war in Europe, the climate crisis, the approach of AI and other global issues require competent people in power. And she said voters want MPs to have the benefit of their communities at heart, not those of vested interests. As someone who has overcome personal adversity she said she would fight for her electorate.

In a statement, SDP candidate Declan Soper (who was unwell) said Britain needs an alternative to the two-party system. The SDP would build 100,000 homes per year and introduce a better tax policy, end profiteering by utilities, limit migration to sustainable levels and promote British jobs and industry to make the country more self-sufficient.

The questions asked are below and the answers can be seen here on the livestream playback.

• Will you commit to working cross-party, to urgently address the climate and biodiversity and pollution crises and if so, how? Will you back the climate and nature bill?
• What will you do to reduce NHS waiting lists, improve acute services and strengthen NHS services at the Horton General and in the community?
• What can your party do to ensure every child and young person has the education appropriate to their needs?
• What will you do about finding free, cheap public transport, especially in rural areas, and getting traffic reduced and our air cleaner?
• How does your party plan to tackle the crisis in social care for the elderly and the vulnerable?
• How would you make sure you represent the needs of all your constituents, including new ones since boundary changes, and also ensure we can get to see you?
• Do you think gender identity should be taught in school? How many genders do you think there are?
• How would you ensure tax is charged fairly and ensure the impacts of unregulated AI (artificial intelligence) do not hurt jobs?
• What will you do on foreign policy to bring about a safer world, including supporting an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, the possibility of Trump in the White House, and minimising the threat of a third world war?
• What policies would your party implement regarding asylum seekers? And when would we see results?
• Do you believe it is true that if you give financial help to people with very little money, they will spend it on necessities and therefore, boost the economy through spending – whereas tax breaks for the more wealthy are more likely to go into savings as the money is surplus to their cost of living?
• How would the candidates ensure that more housing development truly benefits local communities, does not overload our infrastructure and services and meets our carbon targets?