Four key issues in Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes

The debate featured three of the candidates standing in Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes

General election candidates standing in the Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes constituency took part in a debate broadcast on BBC Radio Humberside.

BBC East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire Political Editor Tim Iredale hosted the discussion with three of the candidates.

Conservative Lia Nici, Labour's Melanie Onn and Oliver Freeston from Reform UK answered questions from voters.

The other four candidates were invited to take part but were unable to attend.

Josie Moon, who works at a community group on Grimsby's East Marsh estate, posed the question: "Do any of you truly understand what poverty is and how it impacts our community?"

In response, Melanie Onn said she understood poverty had "huge consequences" on communities and there were "long-term endemic challenges."

She said Labour would invest in interventions such as school breakfast clubs and youth support in those communities.

Lia Nici said the key was "people getting good quality work and higher paid work, but also people getting good quality skills".

Oliver Freeston said he understood poverty as the son of single parent family.

"I can understand when people are saying to me life is really tough at the moment," he said.

The debate was hosted by BBC East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire Political Editor Tim Iredale

Butcher Gary Burke asked how the parties would deal with immigration.

Lia Nici claimed the government's plan to deport people to Rwanda would have an impact but admitted her party had "not tackled it hard enough".

She said she stopped a hotel in Grimsby being used to house migrants and described the current level of immigration as "not sustainable".

Melanie Onn said both the Conservative and Reform parties had been "winding the British public up about this".

She described the government's Rwanda plan as "£600m wasted on a gimmick" which would not work and said Labour would invest in border control measures.

Oliver Freeston said the "Labour party opened the floodgates under Tony Blair and the Conservative party exacerbated the problem".

He claimed voters were "up in arms" about the issue and his party would bring in measures to tackle both illegal and legal migration.

Julie Pilsworth is registered blind, uses a wheelchair and cares for her adult son. She asked about the lack of adapted housing.

Lia Nici said she had met with Ms Pilsworth and was working with the local council and government to build "town-centre adapted housing" where services were available to support people.

Melanie Onn said there were not enough suitable properties available and Labour's plans to increase house building would help.

Oliver Freeston said Reform UK would simplify rules to allow people with disabilities to access grant funding and would boost Carer's Allowance which is currently "far less than the minimum wage".

The candidates were challenged about Cleethorpes losing its Blue Flag status

Wild swimmer Ross Martinelli asked what the candidates would do to tackle sewage in seas and rivers.

Oliver Freeston reflected that Cleethorpes had lost its Blue Flag status and said "tougher sanctions" needed to be brought in against water companies.

Melanie Onn said the regulator Ofwat needed to "be given teeth" with sanctions against bosses running the water companies.

Lia Nici defended the privatised water industry, but said Ofwat needed to be tougher, issue larger fines, and stop water companies handing out bonuses and dividends.

The full list of candidates standing for the seat are:

Ed Fraser - Green Party

Oliver Freeston - Reform UK

Mark Gee - Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition

John Lawson - Liberal Democrat

Lia Nici - Conservatives

Melanie Onn - Labour

Christopher Stephenson - Social Democratic Party

You can watch the debate on BBC iPlayer or listen on BBC Sounds.

Information about the 4 July general election and how to vote can be found here.

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