Our General Elections hustings about to get underway in the Hideaway with candidates for the Cities of London and Westminster (where most of our campuses are based) -pop along or follow us as we do our best to keep you up to date on what's happening

Lubaba Khalid, your VP Welfare opens up by checking everyone has registered to vote... not done it yet? DO IT NOW https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote you have till midnight!

Jamilla Torres welcomes the candidates representing the Labour Party, Green Party, Liberal Party and Liberal Democrats (we invited the Conservatives and Christian People's Party, but sadly they were unable to make it. Got questions for them? Tweet us your questions!

Gordon Nardell, Labour Party Candidate, gives his opening speech by calling it the 'inequality election', with high levels of poverty in the constituency, and wanting to repair the inequality between generations. He also wants to offer a public vote on Brexit.

Zack Polanski, Green Party Candidate, gives his opening speech by calling it the 'climate election', or we have no future left, saying we have 11 years to turn this around. Also wants to handle inequality and have a peoples vote with campaign to remain.

Zack Polanski, Green Party Candidate, gives his opening speech by calling it the 'climate election', or we have no future left, saying we have 11 years to turn this around. Also wants to handle inequality and have a peoples vote with campaign to remain.

Dirk Vincent Van Heck, Liberal Party Candidate, gives his opening speech by saying we need to go back to social liberal values, abolish tuition fees and get the country back together.

Matthew Kirk, Liberal Democrat representative on behalf of Chukka Ummana, gives his opening speech by saying we need to stop Brexit, because they want to be part of Europe, in order to give us access to nurses and to stop climate change

First question: What are the biggest issues facing students and what would you do to help?

Gordon Nardell -remove tuition fees and bring back maintenance grants (but not sure how to do this at the current moment). UK's economy has been too casualised, so need to cut back zero hours contracts and stop outsourcing jobs within Universities.

Zack Polanksi -used to work in university as a mental health counsellor, so patterns heard during this job. Will remove tuition fees and write off previous debt. Also, cost of accommodation and renters rights needs to be fixed. Would also look at hate crime and reducing this.

Dirk Vincent Van Heck -all centered around money, tuition fees, accommodation costs, covering overheads. Would remove tutition fees, introduction of everyone getting money at 25 to off debts, and non interference with property markets

Matthew Kirk -you shouldn't make a manifesto based on ranking up debt. Cannot see abolishing tuition fees as a priority. Maintenance grants are a bigger concern for students than tuition fees in order to ensure students can afford to eat. Housing and mental health also priorities

Next question is around higher education, and how should this work?

Dirk Vincent Van Heck -should be paid out of general taxation. Universal inheritance should help with retrospective fees.

Zack Polanski -everything on manifesto has been costed. Its about political priorities, not that we don't have the money. We would raise cooperation tax to 26%. Students are crucial in helping with other political priorities, such as Green New Deal

Gordon Nardell -would pay out of general taxation. It's how it is being done at the moment, but in a strange way. Removes the arbitrary process of writing off debt at a later stage.

A student has asked a question. Pleased candidates have discussed climate change and a priority, concerned it will use a lot of resources. How do we achieve climate sustainability by leaving it to the market to fix it?

Matthew -we aren't leaving it to the market, but investing a lot of finances. We have the finances available due to not spending money on non meaningful priorities. We have sets of strict (ambitious) targets to meet the climate emergency.

Dirk -agreed with Matthew initially, diplomatic efforts are important. Doesn't believe that need to Stop Brexit to fight the climate emergency, as we need to make a difference with China and USA, not just other EU countries.

Zack -just transition is important, it is impacting the global south right now. Our statistics are not as ok as Dirk says, but only a glimpse of the real problem. Green New Deal is important and doesn't believe Labour's Green New Deal is a true version of the Green New Deal

Gordon -agreed with Zach that new motorway (signed by Sadiq Khan today) wasn't a good idea either. Broadband (challenged on by Matthew) is actually part of Green New Deal, as its changing how people work, especially small businesses, as well as enhancing rail capability.

Next question from a student... London has a housing crisis, especially in Westminster. What do you plan to do for housing and homelessness?

Zack -need to be careful not to blame homeless people for being homeless. Blames the Council for overuse of the vagrancy act & putting spikes on benches. Wants to use empty buildings for sleep and create community centres for homeless. Intersectionality key too.

Gordon -also a hidden homeless, due to overcrowding. Its about how we treat land, stop using it as a property and as a public good. Wants lots more genuinely affordable homes, with a sufficient proportion of family houses.

Dirk -disagree with interfering with property market. About empowering local authorities into building more council homes. Too many council homes sold off, without replacing those homes.

Matthew -agrees with Dirk issues with affordable housing is due to too many council homes being sold off. On issue of homelessness, lots of issues due to other issues impacting an individual leading to their homelessness. We need to stop these issues. Statistics not accurate.

Next question. In UWSU we use proportional representation to elect our officers. Do you think we should have this across the country?

Matthew -Yes, 2 party model isn't working under first past the post. Both labour and tories shooting off to extremes, so it means that PR is the answer

Dirk -there was a referendum in recent years, so no appetite for another one. Wants more of a focus on regional devolution (power is devolved to the lowest level where it makes sense to do so)

Zack -AV (what we had the referendum on) isn't actually proportional representation. Passionate advocate for proportional representation, currently less representation for all constituents and more minority groups get elected if PR. Asks Gordon directly if would support PR?

Gordon -pleased no candidates have stood down, doesn't agree that the 'centre' is really centre, but has been made too right wing in previous years, party isn't as hard left as made out to be. Thinks the game is up for FPTP, and looks to Irish model for an answer.

Next question: at UWSU we have lots of EU and International students. What do you plan to help students within a future Brexit deal?

Zack -doesnt want Brexit in the first place. Wants to challenge Lib Dems position on stopping Brexit without a referendum, as it would be anti-referendum. Disagree's with Jeremy Corbyn's decision to remain neutral. If we did Brexit, would be difficult to protect students.

Dirk -main difficulty is with settled status, which is difficult to current get. Would prioritise commonwealth students in future.

Matthew -wishes to stop Brexit. Picks up challenge from Zack, we are a remain party, and haven't hidden from this. If we don't get the mandate, we will focus on the Peoples Vote campaign. For International Students, want to move away from hostile environment and number targets.

Gordon -appalled at way previous government used EU students as a bargaining chip. Campaigned to remain and reform. There is a lack of respect since Brexit, and so disagrees with Lib Dem policy on revoking A50 without a people's vote. Should be a public vote, on new deal.

Questions from the audience. Lots of empty promises on NHS. When people turn 18, having accessed CAHMS as a child, have a 2.5 year waiting list. What would you do?
If we are basing immigration policy on 'what you have to offer' what is good enough for someone to remain in the UK?

Matthew -apologises for use of works on 'what you have to offer', wanted to focus on removal of arbitrary targets.
Transition points are really important, wants to put mental and physical health on a level playing field and set fixed targets.

Dirk -NHS becoming more expensive over time. Focus on mental health and preventative care as early as possible to remove as much demand on the system

Gordon -we need more money for NHS. Also, need to change the way we do health as a whole. Been a mental health epidemic, linked to poverty and poor housing conditions. We do not have a health society and impacting on everyone's mental health.

Zack -agree with Gordon that it's holistic, and issues across the spectrum. Hears of need for increased resources. Environment has massive impact on mental health, but there is a lack of green spaces. Want a ministry of sanctuary rather than home office; words matter.

Final question: NUS has urged government to audit all university buildings and student accommodation after the Bolton fire. Will you support this call?

Matthew -yes. We have openly talked about this and would support it

Dirk -yes, there needs to be meaningful change in this field

Zack -yes, hard to say no. People to be more accountable, shocked no-one has been arrested since Grenfell, need to keep up public accountability on these matters

Gordon -yes, its shocking we haven't learnt anything from this. Safety is a basic right, and renters need to have a proper voice in ensuring their homes are safe

Sorry! A few more questions from the floor...
1. Everyone is talking about what is happening in the future with Brexit, rather than not talking about the current impact. What will you do now?
2. How will you ensure that quality continues across NHS and Education if fees scrapped?

Gordon -
2. Universities have now changed priorities due to introduction of fees, not to student good. Changing funding model will remove unnecessary pressure
1. Feel for EU internationals, arbitrary red lines have lengthened out decision. Advice has dried up for EU nationals.