New Forest voters to quiz candidates at general election hustings

VOTERS in the New Forest will get the chance to quiz the candidates as the general election enters the final week of campaigning.

The first hustings will be tomorrow (Thursday) at St Mary’s Church in Fordingbridge where all four of the runners in New Forest West will be on hand to answer questions from the audience.

The panel will comprise Nick Bubb (Green), Jack Davies (Liberal Democrats), Jo Graham (Labour) and Sir Desmond Swayne (Conservative). The event starts at 7pm.

The same candidates will be back in action again on Friday 6th December at Trinity Church in Ringwood from 7.30pm.

The five candidates running for the New Forest East seat will appear on Friday at St Luke's Church in Sway at 7pm, with the doors opening at 6.30pm.

On the Question Time-style panel will be Julie Hope (Labour), Bob Johnston (Liberal Democrat), Nicola Jolly (Green), Andrew Knight (Animal Welfare Party) and Julian Lewis (Conservative).

A spokesperson for the organisers said: “We are really pleased to confirm that St Luke's Church in Sway will be hosting a hustings for all the candidates for the New Forest East seat.

“All five of the candidates have confirmed they will be attending, so it should be an interesting event.”

Residents can submit questions for the night by emailing a.pepper.sway@gmail.com.

In Christchurch the candidates are Sir Chris Chope (Conservative), Mike Cox (Liberal Democrat), Andrew Dunne (Labour) and Chris Rigby (Green).

A hustings organised by a group of local churches was held in the town last month at Twynham School.

Polling stations for the general election vote next Thursday will be open from 7am-10pm. The local results are expected between 2am and 3am on Friday 13th December.