Why cost of living is a key issue in Norwich South

Goldsmith Street is a social housing development in Norwich South

The cost of living and affordable housing are dominating campaigning in Norwich South, candidates claim.

For the past nine years, the constituency has been held by Labour’s Clive Lewis; a single red constituency in a sea of blue in Norfolk.

Mr Lewis is hoping to defend the seat he first won in 2015.

But he is facing competition from the Conservatives, Greens, Reform, the Liberal Democrats, an independent and a candidate from the Party of Women.

Here are the candidates, in alphabetical order according to last name.

Sean Bennett, Liberal Democrats

Sean Bennett is standing for the Liberal Democrats in Norwich South

A writer and communications specialist, Mr Bennett, 26, is a former University of East Anglia student who has lived in Norwich for more than a decade.

He said families were struggling to cope with rising costs.

“The cost of living is just really, really biting people at that moment,” he said.

"People are finding that their pay cheque just does not go far enough.

“An awful lot of people have been saying that they are now in a position where they are working to live and not really getting to do anything other than that, which is just completely unacceptable.”

Graham Burton, Reform UK

Teacher Graham Burton is standing for Reform UK

Mr Burton, 42, works as a teacher and said he wanted to help families who were finding things tough.

“Being a teacher, I have seen so many walks of life struggling with economic problems and life issues, like the students,” he said.

“Looking at the news and seeing these politicians on the TV that are just not being honest - they don't have the people's needs at heart.

“I think that one of the things is just to try to make people's lives a bit easier with somebody honest in the role.”

Clive Lewis, Labour

Clive Lewis is hoping to retain the Norwich South seat for Labour

Mr Lewis, 52, has been the Labour MP for Norwich South since 2015.

He is hoping his work to tackle deprivation will persuade voters to back him again.

“Whether people say the NHS or climate or public services, the heart of the underlying picture is about the cost of living,” he said.

“It’s about people's ability to feel secure, their ability to feed their family. Their ability to heat their home and their ability to get to work on public transport. All of this is interconnected.

“That's a big thing that I've been talking about the past 10 years and will continue to talk about if I'm re elected.”

Jamie Osborn, Green Party

Jamie Osborn is standing for the Green Party

Mr Osborn, 30, is a Norwich city and county councillor for the Green Party.

He said his party was focused on improving people’s lives.

“People are living with the escalating cost of living crisis,” he said. “There's more than a third of children in Norwich South living in poverty.

“Unfortunately, despite the fact that the Conservatives have led on that failure for the last 14 years, Labour aren't really offering any change. And that's why we are seeing people voting Green for real action and real change.”

David Thomas, Conservative

David Thomas is contesting the seat for the Conservatives

David Thomas, 33, a former headteacher at the Jane Austen College in Norwich, is standing for the Conservatives.

He said his work with students had inspired him.

“I'm trying to set out a vision of what I believe Norwich could be like, based on what I believe those children that I taught deserve,” he said. "And I think that the path for them having that prosperous future is one that comes best from Conservative governments.

"I think Conservative governments are ones that generate that prosperity that we need and that generate it mostly for the people who need it most. The most disadvantaged.”

Independent candidate Elizabeth Davey is also standing in Norwich South, as is Linda Law from the Party of Women.

A full list of candidates can be found here.