Old issues trouble voters in new constituency

Healthcare and the cost of living are concerning voters in the new Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket constituency

Medicine and money are in the minds of voters in one new Suffolk constituency as the general election approaches.

The former Bury St Edmunds constituency was represented by a Conservative for more than a century, most recently by Jo Churchill, who won with a majority of nearly 25,000 in 2019.

She is not standing in the new seat of Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket this time, but eight candidates are.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) questioned 25 people in the constituency to find out what they want from them.

Jo Churchill was Conservative MP for Bury St Edmunds

The number one concern shared by voters was healthcare and the NHS.

If prompted, of the 20 people who mentioned it, 10 referred to long waiting times, eight shared concern about a lack of dentistry services, and two said the NHS needed more funding.

Another seven called for a new hospital to be delivered.

Financial pressures also weighed heavily on people's minds, with 11 wanting their new MP to ease cost of living pressures in general, while four singled out the need for affordable housing, and two argued pensions were too low.

The former Bury St Edmunds constituency was represented by a Conservative for more than a century

Other issues that came up frequently include as the need for more town centre investment, the poor state of roads, crime and antisocial behaviour and sewage spills into waterways .

Cropping up less often were concerns about immigration and public transport .

Sixteen people questioned said they had already decided which box to tick on 4 July while nine said they were still on the fence.

What do the candidates think?

Will Tanner, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s deputy chief of staff, is hoping to win the seat for the Conservatives.

He said they would create well-paid and highly-skilled jobs to sustain high streets, push for more food to be grown locally, and protect villages from speculative and unplanned development.

He also pledged to secure a new hospital in Bury St Edmunds.

Will Tanner, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s deputy chief of staff, is hoping to win the seat for the Conservatives

Dr Peter Prinsley, who has worked as an ear, nose and throat surgeon for about 40 years, is the Labour candidate.

He said speaking to residents revealed a disillusion with the government due to a lack of services.

Dr Prinsley said healthcare was one of his and voters' top priorities — and that his experience as a surgeon gave him a personal view on how to address NHS issues.

He also said he would focus on reversing the impacts of climate change with a coherent and achievable plan that included addressing the issue of sewage spills.

Dr Peter Prinsley, who is standing for Labour, says the party has a plan to reduce NHS waiting lists

Economist Emma Buckmaster is representing the Green Party.

She said a lot of people had concerns about the environment and promised to keep nature and the environment at the heart of every decision.

Ms Buckmaster also said she would help carry out her party’s re-investment plan for public services, including the NHS, public transport, and education, and keep sound financial management and support for business in mind to address cost-of-living pressures.

Green Party candidate Emma Buckmaster said a lot of people had concerns about the environment

The Candidates:

• Rejoin EU - Richard Baker-Howard

• Green - Emma Buckmaster

• Reform UK - Scott Hussey

• Independent - Jeremy Lee

• Liberal Democrat - Peter McDonald

• Labour - Peter Prinsley

• Conservative - Will Tanner

• Communist Party of Britain - Darren Turner

Peter McDonald, who runs an agriculture start-up near Bury St Edmunds, is representing the Liberal Democrats.

He said healthcare was at the top of voters’ agendas, and that issues could be addressed through reform, junior doctor agreements, and more GP appointments.

Mr McDonald said housing and the environment also came up during his conversations with residents.

He said he would push for rent reforms and the expansion of affordable housing, as well as turning water companies into "public benefit" companies.

Lib Dem candidate Peter McDonald said healthcare was at the top of voters’ agendas

Scott Hussey, who has worked internationally on projects delivering humanitarian aid and HIV protection, is representing Reform UK.

He said two issues he would tackle, based on residents’ concerns, would be immigration levels and the state of the NHS.

Mr Hussey said voters had also raised concerns about wasteful government spending and about value for money in relation to projects involving infrastructure, roads, Covid and foreign aid.

Scott Hussey, who has worked internationally on projects delivering humanitarian aid, is representing Reform UK

Richard Baker-Howard is the only Rejoin EU Party candidate standing in Suffolk.

He said would put pressure on other parties to work more collaboratively among themselves and with other countries in the EU to address environmental and cost-of-living concerns.

Mr Baker-Howard also said he would push for a more open dialogue about rights and opportunities - including workers' rights, environmental protections, and reductions in civil liberties - that people had lost since Britain left the EU.

Richard Baker-Howard is the only Rejoin EU Party candidate standing in Suffolk.

Communist Party candidate Darren Turner, a former local councillor, said his priorities would include addressing the cost and availability of affordable and social housing, protecting the NHS against private investment.

He highlighted the lack of NHS dentists as a consequence of private healthcare.

Mr Turner also said he would focus on public transport by pushing for the rail system to be brought back into full public ownership.

Independent Jeremy Lee has worked with former Conservative Prime Minister Boris Johnson

Independent Jeremy Lee said he would push for tighter national regulation, and strict adherence from councils, on large-scale developments in areas without additional infrastructure.

He also said he was concerned about depleted rural bus services that could leave people isolated and anxious about getting to appointments.

Mr Lee worked with former Boris Johnson, as his agent for speaking appointments, before Mr Johnson became prime minister.

He said tens of residents had told him they had never seen Ms Churchill and said an "invisible MP" was not good for local democracy.

Mr Lee said he would have weekly surgeries around the constituency and a weekly online session.