Tiverton and Honiton by-election: Cost of living crisis

Conservative, Liberal Demnocrat, Labour and Green Party candidates were interviewed by Michael Chequer from Radio Devon

The cost of living crisis has been recognised as a major concern for all of the candidates in the Tiverton and Honiton by-election in Devon.

Conservative, Labour, Liberal Democrat and Green Party candidates attended a question and answer session on market day in Tiverton hosted by BBC Radio Devon.

The by-election on Thursday was prompted by the resignation of former MP Neil Parish who admitted watching pornography in Parliament on two occasions.

Host Michael Chequer asked the candidates what they would like to see the government doing to support people through the cost of living crisis.

Richard Foord, Liberal Democrat candidate in the Tiverton and Honiton by-election

Richard Foord, a former Army major standing for the Liberal Democrats, said he would like the government to go "significantly further" in providing financial support for the public.

He said: "I would really love to see a VAT cut of two and a half percent. This would put £600 back into the pockets of hard-working families.

"The government has received £40bn in additional VAT receipts in recent months that it didn't anticipate getting and this money really ought to be put back into people's pockets."

Mr Foord said the government had increased National Insurance "just at the time when people can't afford to put food on the table and fuel in the car".

Liz Pole is the Labour candidate in the Tiverton and Honiton by-election

Liz Pole, Labour candidate, said everybody was "feeling the pinch" with rising costs.

She said: People are really desperate when you speak to them on the street and on the doorsteps.

"Labour is pushing for an emergency budget. We want to see the small business releif on rates lifted to £25,000."

Ms Pole said Labour also had a "children's recovery plan" which would ensure "breakfast clubs and after school clubs in every school".

The Green Party candidate, Gill Westcott

Gill Westcott, a former teacher representing the Green Party, said the government had given "one-off support to low income families whereas it needs an ongoing solution".

She said: "Greens are calling for a £40 uplift in Universal Credit and then keeping it up with inflation as should pensions be kept up."

Ms Westcott wanted to see the National Insurance increase reversed and siad it was "unfair to increase taxation on working people and not on so-called unearned income".

She said the Green party would "reduce reliance on costly fossil fuels" and said renewable energy could be used to "reduce our energy prices whereas increasing energy production from the North Sea takes 20 years".

Helen Hurford is the Conservative candidate

Former headteacher Helen Hurford, the Conservative candidate, said she agreed there was a cost of living crisis and was "feeling it too".

She said: "We can never have enough. We always want more but we have to be responsible and and we have to have a long-term plan."

Ms Hurford said people she spoke with on the doorsteps were "welcoming the £37bn support package that the government has introduced".

She said: "That is what's happened already but our chancellor has made it very clear that we need long-term solutions so that we can ensure that our country continues to grow."

The by-election will be held on Thursday and a full list of candidates is available here.