Glastonbury and Somerton: What you need to know

The new seat contains the town of Glastonbury

The towns of Glastonbury and Somerton are at the heart of this new constituency.

The seat is primarily made up of the south and western portions of the old Somerton and Frome seat, which has effectively been cut in two.

Last July the "old" seat was won by the Liberal Democrat Sarah Dyke in a by-election triggered by the resignation of Conservative MP David Warburton.

Three of the same candidates are standing again, but this time the area they will be representing has partly changed because of a review of all constituency boundaries in England by the Boundary Commission.

What area does the new constituency cover?

Apart from the towns mentioned in the name of this new constituency, Street, Castle Cary, Bruton, Wincanton and Langport also feature.

It may come as a surprise to some, that the seat covers RNAS Yeovilton - one of the Navy's two principal airbases - which used to be part of the Yeovil constituency.

So did picturesque villages like Montacute, Tintinhull and Norton-sub-Hamdon, the latter known for being the former home of Lord Paddy Ashdown, the former leader of the Liberal Democrat party, and former Yeovil MP.

What are some of the main issues?

The town of Glastonbury is known as a place of pilgrimage. Its tor and abbey are a magnet for tourism and people who lead alternative lifestyles.

The world-famous Glastonbury Festival is actually held a few miles away in the village of Pilton, which is now in the neighbouring Wells constituency.

Like most places in the country, people here have been affected by the rising cost of living and a lack of affordable housing.

Around £23m has been secured to invest in levelling up projects in the area.

A significant community of veterans and serving military personnel live around RNAS Yeovilton.

As you'd expect, large portions of this constituency are rural, so there is a strong farming focus too.

Tom Carter - Reform UK

Tom Carter is the Reform UK candidate for Glastonbury and Somerton

Tom Carter has lived in Glastonbury all his life.

After serving in the British Army, and attending university, he returned home to teach and raise his two boys.

"I dream of them being able to afford a home and raise a family on one salary. Something that hasn't been achieved in over a generation," he said.

He added: "We must fast track affordable housing on brownfield sites using the latest modular technology. These houses can be built for a fraction of the cost and can be 50% cheaper to heat."

He wants to raise the tax threshold to £20,000 to "put more money in the hands of hard working families that are having to choose whether to heat their home or put food on the table."

Jon Cousins - Green Party

Jon Cousins is the Green candidate for Glastonbury and Somerton

Jon Cousins has lived and worked in Glastonbury for more than twenty years and describes himself as a community activist and organiser.

He has been involved in local government as a town councillor since 2011 and been mayor of Glastonbury four times.

His top local priority is providing appropriate housing to meet local needs.

He said: "Our constituency also needs more social and affordable housing and Greens are calling for the right for local authorities and councils to build new council housing."

He also wants more investment in bus services, the re-opening of railway stations at Langport and Somerton, and says the sewage and phosphate issue needs to be addressed to protect waterways from pollution.

He said: "My sole aim is to represent your voice, making decisions for the common good; decisions that reflect our collective conscience and best interests."

Sarah Dyke - Liberal Democrats

Sarah Dyke is the Liberal Democrat candidate for Glastonbury and Somerton

Sarah Dyke lives in the constituency and says her family have farmed in the area for more than 250 years.

She was elected the MP for Somerton and Frome in a by-election in July 2023.

She managed a European funding programme for 12 years, is the councillor for Blackmoor Vale on Somerset Council and was the executive lead for environment and climate change.

She said her top priority is "fixing our broken NHS".

"Our health and care services have been driven into the ground by the Conservatives, which is why the Liberal Democrats have pledged to provide 8,000 more GPs, giving you a guarantee of an appointment within 7 days, and putting an end to dental deserts."

She also wants to tackle the cost of living crisis by closing loopholes in windfall tax to increase the warm home discount and pledges to put an end to sewage dumping.

Hal Hooberman - Labour Party

Hal Hooberman is the Labour candidate for Glastonbury and Somerton

Having grown up in Bruton, Hal Hooberman and works in Westminster and supported a senior Labour MP.

He is also the secretary of the local Labour Party.

"I know how Westminster works - I want to be your MP, with a seat at the table of a Labour government, being able to deliver the best of a Labour government for our beautiful part of Somerset," he said.

His top priority is to get Britain building again. He said: "That means ramping up clean, green energy production, building 1.5m new homes, and a rebuilding of our crumbling infrastructure."

He also wants to get the "NHS back on its feet" and promises to stand up for "integrity and ethics" and be accessible to the people he represents.

Faye Purbrick - Conservative Party

Faye Purbrick is the Conservative candidate for Glastonbury and Somerton

Faye Purbrick grew up in Yeovil and runs her own business supporting companies in the construction and engineering industries.

She's been a hospital governor, town and county councillor, and a trustee for a restorative justice charity.

Ms Purbrick said her priority is to "back businesses and education – working with employers, colleges and schools to deliver future proof jobs and skills which will boost our local economy and create opportunities to improve lives".

She is also focused on "improving local NHS services in hospitals and communities – addressing local need for more GPs, dentists and hospital appointments and maintaining local pharmacies to provide community services".

She said: "This election is a choice - unchecked Lib Dem power with local people not having a voice on soaring council tax and cuts - or an MP who will always put our community first and use her skills and experience to get results from day one."