Summary

  • Candidates for the Sheffield Hallam constituency took part in a live debate on Friday 21 June

  • Seven parties have fielded candidates in the constituency ahead of the 4 July vote

  • The debate was hosted by BBC Yorkshire Political Editor James Vincent

  • Watch the video to see the stream or scroll back to read some of the key points from the debate

  • Conservative candidate Isaac Howarth was unable to attend - he was represented by Steve Winstone

  • Worker's Party candidate Mo Moui-Tabrizy was also unable to attend

Media caption,

Watch: Sheffield Hallam candidates debate ahead of 2024 general election

  1. Where are the parties on environmental issues?published at 11:46 British Summer Time 21 June

    Laura asks: "There is no point in fixing the other problems if you can’t keep the planet breathing and alive.

    "This is a real emergency and it is already having a visible impact. What are the parties doing to tackle climate change?"

  2. Rejoin EU candidate on housing and healthpublished at 11:43 British Summer Time 21 June

    Sam Chapman

    Sam Chapman said more workers could be brought into the NHS "on visas".

    "We are one of the sickest nations in the EU now, the sick rate at work now has never been higher

    "Things change, the parties change, the policies change.

    "Brexit happened but we can still move into the future."

    On housing he said more social housing was needed outside cities.

    "We need more social housing but it’s where do we put it? There is more remote working more than ever now.

    "We need to think where we put the houses."

  3. Cut management says SDPpublished at 11:41 British Summer Time 21 June

    Andrew Cowell, from the Social Democratic Party, says he understands what the NHS is going through as recently a family member has been ill in hospital

    "We have a huge management structure in the NHS and [we would] aim to reduce management roles by 15%."

    The SDP would abolish diversity, equality and inclusion roles to put "more money at the front line".

  4. Staff retention key for Labour in NHSpublished at 11:41 British Summer Time 21 June

    Labour's candidate Olivia Blake says "retention is absolutely a key issue, but we need training, more nurses, midwifes, dentists, GPs."

    Olivia Blake

    The country needs 40,000 more appointment every week to get that backlog down, she adds.

    Steve Winstone, for the Conservatives, says the party would look at recruiting up to 120,000 doctors and nurses to address the various issues faced by the NHS.

    Steve Winstone

    He adds: "What we need to really address is the fact we’ve just had a massive pandemic which had a huge impact on how the NHS is run."

    He says these unprecedented circumstances were the reason for the backlog in patient care and operations.

  5. Greens to tax rich to pay for NHS improvementspublished at 11:39 British Summer Time 21 June

    JAson Leman

    On healthcare now, and Jason Leman from the Green Party has been speaking about what he feels the NHS needs.

    The party would invest £30bn a year in the NHS, £20bn in social care, he adds.

    This would mean "everyone will be able to see a dentist, local GP. It would be not about trying to patch people up, but looking at people's wellbeing," he says.

    To pay for it? A tax on multi-millionaires and the billionaires, he says.

  6. Patients and health staff will be voters herepublished at 11:34 British Summer Time 21 June

    Lucy Ashton
    BBC Sheffield political reporter

    The NHS feels an acute issue for voters in Sheffield Hallam as the constituency borders four hospitals, which are all university teaching hospitals.

    A generic scene on a hospital wardImage source, PA Media

    With a high number of constituents working in, or studying to join, the NHS, they see from the inside what the challenges are.

    Sheffield Hallam has four out of the five least deprived wards in the city though and people on average live nine years longer than the most deprived parts of South Yorkshire.

  7. Will the doctor see you now?published at 11:33 British Summer Time 21 June

    Julie asks: "Trying to get a doctor’s appointment is virtually impossible at a time when you are anxious anyway and dentists are struggling too.

    "What will you do to improve this situation?"

  8. 'Ambitious and bold' plans say Lib Demspublished at 11:31 British Summer Time 21 June

    Lib Dem Shaffaq Mohammed said his party had "ambitious and bold" plans for housing in Sheffield.

    He said: "My son wanted a mortgage, he's got a decent job but he couldn’t get one.

    "I want to see that change. We want to retain university graduates and the only way we can retain them is [by improving] housing."

  9. Tories pledge to cut stamp dutypublished at 11:29 British Summer Time 21 June

    The Conservatives have pledged to cut stamp duty and extend the Help to Buy scheme.

    "Interest rates will fall, that will help people get mortgages and continue to pay for them," Mr Winstone said.

    "We are going to extend the Help-to-Buy scheme, which gives people a guaranteed deposit and make it easier to get on the housing ladder."

  10. Houses 'treated like investments' - Greenspublished at 11:25 British Summer Time 21 June

    Still on housing, Green Party candidate Jason Leman said houses recently have been treated "like investments, rather than like homes".

    "People want housing, the ambitions of a lot of people are to have a family, have a home, it's basic but out of reach for so many people and is a failure of politics and a failure of this government," he tells the debate.

    He wants communities "to have a good say" on plans, and says new housing estates are built "with no thoughts about transport or amenities".

    Andrew Cowell from the SDP said he wants to see a "moratorium on buy-to-let mortgages, which are distorting the market".

    He agreed with Labour's Olivia Blake and increase the supply of housing, looking at greenfield and brownfield sites.

    He suggested looking at "former farms and farm houses, old petrol stations, lots of places we could use for building if we made planning systems easier".

  11. Support for first-time buyers on Labour listpublished at 11:24 British Summer Time 21 June

    Olivia Blake, the Labour candidate, has started by emphasising Labour's plans are "fully-costed and available to view online".

    She said the party wants "to build 1.5m homes, and we also want to change it so it's much easier for people to get onto the housing ladder", focusing on first-time buyers.

    "New builds get local first time buyers first dibs, more building and a brownfield-first approach", she added.

    They would also look at building on "grey sites", which are on the greenbelt but dubbed as being poorer quality areas.

  12. Conservatives on their priorities for countrypublished at 11:23 British Summer Time 21 June

    Conservative spokesperson Steve Winstone said normality would return.

    Steve Winstone

    He said: "The last five years we've had some unprecedented times which no-one could foresee.

    "We got inflation down and interest rates will come down and we can go back to some normality."

    He added: "Sheffield Conservatives and a lot of people feel they are not being represented.

    "Wouldn't it be good to have a bit of a different, sensible approach and not just all Labour?"

  13. The challenge of having a place to call homepublished at 11:19 British Summer Time 21 June

    Lucy Ashton
    BBC Sheffield political reporter

    Housing is an issue in Sheffield Hallam. There are dense suburbs and estates, students in multiple-occupancy homes and the most expensive homes in the city.

    Scaffolding around houses under constructionImage source, PA Media

    The constituency has an abundance of open space and borders the green belt so there is often opposition to planning applications for housing from existing residents.

    The main political parties have promised to build new homes but there could be difficulties ahead balancing this with keeping the greenery which residents cherish.

  14. Our first question is on housingpublished at 11:19 British Summer Time 21 June

    Matthew asks: "How is each party thinking of supporting people into having somewhere to live when the housing market is out of reach for so many, due to rents and mortgage rates both being so high?"

  15. More prioritiespublished at 11:18 British Summer Time 21 June

    Andrew Cowell now from the Social Democratic Party.

    Andrew Cowell

    He said the party has "a growing membership of ordinary, down-to-earth people who want to see a real change. Family is the bedrock of our society".

    He added since Brexit there has been a number of "massive shocks" and "each has shown failings of our political elite".

    Shaffaq Mohammed, candidate for the Liberal Democrats, said an alternative voice would be needed amid a potential Labour government.

    Shaffaq Mohammed

    He said: "Last time it was Richard Allan. We might need that again just as we needed that alternative voice when we had that street tree fiasco."

    Mr Mohammed said he also wants to offer more opportunities for young people and an NHS "that functions".

    Rejoin EU's Sam Chapman says: "It’s become very clear that Brexit has been one of the most destructive decisions this country has ever made but we can still move into a positive direction."

    Sam Chapman

    "There are still international threats and problems and we need to address this

    "We believe this can only be done by rejoining the EU," he added.

  16. Candidates set out their prioritiespublished at 11:16 British Summer Time 21 June

    We're under way here in the debate. The candidates have been given a minute to tell us a bit about themselves.

    Firstly, Olivia Blake, the Labour candidate, has started setting out why she feels people should vote for her.

    Olivia Blake

    She said it has been an "absolute privilege" to be their MP for the last few years.

    She said voters had a choice of either "five more years of Conservative chaos, or change with Labour."

    Jason Leman is next, the Green Party candidate. He said it was his "home" and lives in the area.

    Jason Leman

    "I know the challenges people are facing, the climate crisis, crumbling public services. I want to see a real change," he says.

  17. Candidates introduce themselvespublished at 11:08 British Summer Time 21 June

    Candidates in election
  18. Questions from Your Voice, Your Votepublished at 11:03 British Summer Time 21 June

    The topics to be put to the candidates in today's debate have been sourced from the BBC Your Voice, Your Vote.

    Your Voice, Your Vote branding

    The BBC wants to hear from you about what is important to you in the election campaign and what questions you want to hear answered.

    You can find out more here.

  19. Who is standing in Sheffield Hallam?published at 10:58 British Summer Time 21 June

    Olivia BlakeImage source, Handout

    Olivia Blake - Labour Party

    Former Sheffield councillor Olivia Blake won Sheffield Hallam for Labour in 2019 but holds the seat with a slim majority of 712 votes.

    One of her most notable campaigns as an MP was with celebrity Myleene Klass to improve care for women who have suffered a miscarriage.

    Sam ChapmanImage source, Handout

    Sam Chapman - Rejoin EU

    Mr Chapman has worked for both of Sheffield’s universities and the council.

    He supports music charities and says music is one of Sheffield’s greatest exports but the industry is being hampered by Britain being outside of the EU.

    Andrew CowellImage source, Handout

    Andrew Cowell - Social Democratic Party

    Retired headteacher Mr Cowell is standing for the Social Democratic Party.

    He lives in the Hope Valley but describes himself as “very much a Sheffielder”.

    Steve WinstoneImage source, Handout

    Isaac Howarth - Conservative Party

    Mr Howarth is the Conservative candidate but was unavailable to join the debate on Friday.

    The Conservatives will be represented by Steve Winstone (pictured above), chairman of Sheffield Conservative Federation.

    Jason LemanImage source, Handout

    Jason Leman - Green Party

    Green candidate Mr Leman works in higher education research.

    He has studied democracy, gaining a PhD in politics from the University of Sheffield this year.

    Shaffaq MohammedImage source, Handout

    Shaffaq Mohammed - Liberal Democrats

    Mr Mohammed is the Leader of the Liberal Democrats on Sheffield Council and a former Member of the European Parliament.

    In his job as a youth worker, he says he helps disadvantaged young people to access work and education opportunities.

    Mo Moui-TabrizyImage source, Handout

    Mo Moui-Tabrizy - Workers Party

    Candidate for the Workers Party Mr Moui-Tabrizy was born in Iran and came to the UK with his younger brother in 1979.

    They opened a takeaway which they ran for 22 years and since 2007 they have operated a catering equipment business.

    Mr Moui-Tabrizy is unable to attend Friday's debate due to illness.

  20. Full list of candidatespublished at 10:58 British Summer Time 21 June

    • Andrew Cowell - Social Democratic Party
    • Isaac Howarth - Conservative Party
    • Jason Leman - Green Party
    • Mo Moui-Tabrizy - Workers Party of Britain
    • Olivia Blake - Labour Party
    • Sam Chapman - Rejoin EU
    • Shaffaq Mohammed - Liberal Democrat

    You can find out more about the general election here.