A packed All Saints Church this evening for the Carshalton and Wallington hustings. #GE19
A positive opening speech from @ElliotColburn about his local roots in the constituency, having been born, gone to school and long lived here, and the national plan to #getbrexitdone and energise the country.
Disappointing that in a 3 minute speech, Brake contrived to make several snide remarks about @ElliotColburn such as that he's been campaigning over St Helier hospital since before Elliot was born there. Bit unnecessary and against the spirit of the thing.
Labour candidate Mr Watoo has lived locally for 11 years with his family, but otherwise focused on Labour's national talking points. Pretty flat audience reaction in these parts.
Brexit Party candidate opens by telling us he has a physics degree since "before any of you were born." To say no ill word against my fellow audience members, that's a bold claim.

Otherwise, he focuses on why he thinks Boris's deal isn't Brexit.
Green Party candidate isn't here sadly due to a recent bereavement, so we have a substitute. He notes that the panel is thus all-male.

His opening remarks focus on climate change, and the Green Party as the party to make this their priority.
First question is about Brexit. Specifically, will all the parties stand aside so the Conservatives and Lib Dems can go head to head.

A predictable if long winded "No." from everyone on the panel!
Second question, Brexit again. As this is a Brexit voting constituency, how should the referendum result be respected?

Brake up first, explaining patronisingly that no one really knew what Brexit meant therefore we need to vote again.
Labour up next. Oh God, he's going to have another crack at explaining their position.

He's swerved (perhaps wisely) to criticising Lib Dems instead.
Brexit Party up, expertly nailing Brake over his "sophisticated way of telling people they were stupid" in not knowing what they voted for. Audience v enthusiastic.
Green Party up, says he spoiled his referendum ballot paper. Didn't like either campaign.
Elliot points out that the only way to respect the result is to leave, not to spend more years arguing whether we still should.
Brake gets a second go, which he largely uses to complain that leaving is taking longer than we thought, so we should give up.

Not a crowd pleaser.
Third, transport. How we make it easier for people to switch away from cars.

Labour first. I'm not sure what he said, TBQH.
Green said why it was necessary but didn't really explain how.

Brake talking up LD plans to get 10% of journeys by sustainable means using long term investment. Doesn't mention LDs have run the council for decades and achieved none of this.
Elliot agrees there is good consensus on this, points out that a major problem is that this area has little public transport compared with the rest of London.
You'll be pleased to know that my own eco chariot bore me here and awaits my journey home. 👍🏻
It's dark in here, isn't it? Somewhere in that gloom is a Brompton.
Now Brexit Party up. Rejects premise of the question, takes up arms against Mayor Khan and the Lib Dem war on the motorist.

I'm not sure I buy his claim that it's impossible to get around this area by bike!
Q 4, on what issue would you rebel against your party?

Elliot first. Heathrow expansion - he doesn't support the party line.

Brake next. Says he has found issues around war and military action difficult to weigh up.
Chair doesn't allow Brexit Party to answer, tries to move on. Furious row now breaking out. Audience weighing in. Feisty scenes.
After a very ill tempered exchange between chair, Brexit Party candidate and several members of the audience, we'll now hear the answer.

Says HS2 should go ahead, contra brexit party policy, and all the way to Scotland.
Next question, Labour's tax plans. Since Labour is only targeting the rich, I earn under 80k so I won't pay their tax rises so I like their policy. What will the other parties do for me?
Green Party answer was hard to follow, but seemed to be that greens will give even more away including a basic income policy.
Elliot gives a strong answer on the Conservatives economic record on jobs, so people can have more of their own money to spend as they choose.
Brake points out that Labour's tax plans would in fact hit people on lower incomes. Adds that LDs would put 1p on income tax.
Brexit Party says he's bored with endless tax and spending promises. What we need is a massive house building programme on the Green belt not here in Carshalton and Wallington.
And now - questions from the floor!
Question: What is the future of St Helier hospital?

Brexit Party first. He's arguing that the ÂŁ500 million investment in a new acute hospital will not benefit people, attacking conservatives and Lib Dens both. "I'm not a conspiracy theorist but there's a hidden agenda down here"
Brake, says he will fight for the new faculty to be at St Helier. He adds, correctly, that it's completely unrealistic to have two new, fully staffed 24/7 acute facilities. So it needs to be 1, he'll argue for St Helier
Elliot points out that working for the NHS gives him a good understanding of the situation. Agrees with Brake that this proposal is good and realistic, adds that it avoids moving services out of Sutton, which had been floated in the past.
Labour reiterate that they oppose the plans, take same position as Brexit Party in wanting to upgrade both hospitals to the best standard.
Next question is just an unpleasant personal rant at Elliot. Chair wants to moves on, though Elliot happy to respond giving positive reasons why he is standing. Strong audience applause I think directed pointedly at the questioner.
Next up, what should we do about the incinerator? Switch it off?

Brake is bullish defending the incinerator, says there's no evidence it has an impact on health, and asks what else we should do with the waste?
Labour against the incinerator, want to shut it down. Also seems to be against businesses handling such tasks.
Brexit Party, "there's a very odd smell around this" referring to the Lib Dem claims that you burn plastics to recover very little energy, then claim to be providing green energy. We need a citizens enquiry looking into this.
Finally Elliot, his first ever political campaign was against the incinerator. Sadly lost. He opposed it at the time, lives near it, and opposes it now.

Need proper monitoring because they're already breeching emissions limits.
Final question, only to Elliot and Brexit Party: where are your leaflets printed?

Seems possibly not a sincere question to my ears!
Elliot: various printers, some local, some national, all in the UK.

Brexit Party, who is Dutch and used a Dutch company, gives a funny answer about the fact that he's against the EU he's not against international trade.
Now the summing up.

Greens first. Focus on climate change and why the Conservatives aren't doing as much as the Greens would like.
(Two tweets back, I meant funny/ witty not funny/ weird)
Brexit Party summing up. Begins by quoting pi to 20 places, by way of praising the quality of local schools. Laments that education hasn't come up.

Criticises conservatives for Brexit stagnation, Lib Dems for talking about local trivia while knowing nothing of the EU.
Finishes by arguing we need better local leadership which brings high tech industry to the area not just more houses.
Labour. This is a once in a generation election. Don't let the "billionaire funded mainstream media" influence your vote, go through the manifestos and decide for yourself.

There then follows a list of things Labour will provide for free. No mention of Jeremy Corbyn.
In fact, I don't think anyone's mentioned Corbyn all night. I think all the candidates have mentioned Boris, interestingly.
Now Brake. Opens by saying that only he or Elliot can win, commits that he will support neither a Corbyn nor a Boris government.

He stands on both his local track record and the national lib Dem policies. Though unclear how they'd happen if he won't support either PM.
Brake wraps up by asking people to vote for him to stop brexit.
Elliot. Emphasises local background and commitment to area. Worries about problems with shortage of school places, poor air quality, need to fight for local police and transport.

Choice is between Boris or Corbyn. Vote for a good local MP and avoiding Corbyn / SNP govt.
A lot of support for Elliot in the room!
Final summing up, Christian People's Alliance. Against Sunday trading, supporting and strengthening marriage to avoid broken families, against unbiblical laws passed in Her Majesty's name. If people ask about our written constitution, here it is - he holds up a Bible.
I'm not sure he won the room over, but received polite applause.
And that's it. Chair concludes by reminding us all that in many parts of the world, people do not have the right to vote in free and fair elections. We do and so we should exercise that by voting - I agree!
You can follow @NeilGarratt.
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