Five takeaways from the Colchester election debate
Candidates met inside the city's castle
- Published
Candidates representing parties vying for the Colchester seat at the general election thrashed out issues in a BBC Essex election debate.
Five politicians met at Colchester Castle to face questions put forward by the public via the BBC's Your Voice, Your Vote.
Here are my main takeaways from what happened.
1. Personal politics
It's often said politicians are all the same and can't relate to ordinary people, but the debate showed the human side of all those on the panel.
There were reflections by the Reform UK candidate, Terence Longstaff, on the death of his father-in-law and the difficulties his family had in trying to pay for his care.
Labour's Alex Diner, a substitute for the party's Colchester candidate Pam Cox, talked of his grandfather arriving here when the topic turned to immigration, and the Conservative candidate James Cracknell referenced his children and the positive impact of sport on young people.
2. Brexit's back
The issue of the 2019 general election was Brexit, but it's fair to say its been almost completely ignored this time around. However, it came up with a Your Voice, Your Vote question from David who wants to rejoin the European Union and quizzed the candidates on why the parties weren't mentioning it.
The Green candidate Sara Ruth told us how she worked as a tour manager in the music industry and said it was now much harder for bands to perform around the continent and proposed rejoining the Customs Union as a first step.
Terence Longstaff, for Reform UK, which was of course born out of the Brexit Party, spoke of his disappointment that Brexit "never actually happened", while the Liberal Democrats' Natalie Sommers, a substitute for the party's candidate Martin Goss, said it was about "repairing broken relationships" with Europe and "deepening" trade deals.
3. Mind your language
The candidates showed their differences when asked about the language used around immigration.
Sara Ruth for the Green Party talked about ending the "hostile environment" she claimed the Conservatives had created. James Cracknell, the Conservative candidate, said there should be a cap on legal migration and suggested putting the "Navy in the Channel" to stop the arrival of illegal immigrants on small boats.
Labour's Alex Diner said there were areas of the economy that needed workers from overseas and branded the Conservative government's Rwanda plan a "gimmick", while Terence Longstaff, for Reform UK, said the country was "full" and that people were being given houses ahead of Colchester-born residents.
The heat in this topic only got hotter.
4. On the buses
A question from Terry, a youth worker, brought us all sorts of ideas on helping young people get out and about and engaged in their communities.
Could we see a free young person's bus pass? That was the suggestion from Reform UK's Terence Longstaff.
The Liberal Democrats' Natalie Sommers talked of keeping the £2 cap on bus journeys and also called for more youth clubs in Colchester.
Labour's Alex Diner said he "despairs" at the lack of opportunities for young people and said his party have plans to save 1,300 bus routes, while James Cracknell, the Conservative candidate, accused Labour of having a "magic money tree".
5. The kids are alright
Call it malaise, call it something stronger, but are politicians doing enough to engage with young people and the wider electorate? That was the thrust of a question put forward by primary school children in Colchester.
Labour's Alex Diner said there was a "deep set anger" on the doorstep for today's political class and reiterated his party's call for change.
The Green Party candidate, Sara Ruth, talked of extending the vote to 16-year-olds and replacing the House of Lords with an elected second chamber while James Cracknell, for the Conservatives, said it came down to "trust" and admitted he perhaps wasn't the pin-up candidate in his party's HQ by reiterating his concern over the "shower" as he calls it that has engulfed the party over election betting.
From the Boudicca Gallery in the castle, this gladiatorial contest came to a close.
James Rolfe, standing for the Climate Party, was also invited to take part in the debate but did not respond to the BBC.
You can find a full list of those standing in the Colchester constituency here.
