North West Leicestershire general election candidates tell you why they think they deserve your vote

The candidates in North West Leicestershire have explained why they think they deserve your vote. With the general election looming, LeicestershireLive reached out to aspiring MPs across the 10 constituencies of Leicester and Leicestershire to give them the chance to address local voters.

In North West Leicestershire, seven candidates are vying for your support when the country goes to the polls. They include the seat’s previous holder, Andrew Bridgen, who has represented the constituency since 2010.

Mr Bridgen originally served the area as a Conservative MP but was ousted from the party for a tweet in which he said Covid-19 vaccines were “the biggest crime against humanity since the Holocaust”. He then briefly represented Laurence Fox’s Reclaim Party, before moving to sit – and stand at this election – as an independent.

READ MORE: All candidates for the 2024 Leicester and Leicestershire General Election

Polls predicted a swing to the left in next month’s vote, however, with Labor on course to take the seat. Find out what your candidates have to say below.

Independent candidate Andrew Bridgen

“This election is not about the Tories and Labour; or right and left. It’s about good and bad. I’ve been on the right side since 2010.

“On HS2, the Horizon scandal, Brexit and so many other issues I have fought with the party whips for fourteen years – because on these issues the will of the party has come into conflict with the will of the people of North West Leicestershire.

“If you pick one of my opponents, that’s the fight they’re going to be in. I’m sure they don’t have the stomach for it.

“These struggles have paid off: 1.2 jobs for every person, eight hundred new homes a year, economic growth among the highest in the country. You don’t get these things by mistake. You have them because I’m a fighter.

“If you choose a party, yes, male (or female), these awards will disappear. Labor and the Tories are arguing over how to spend the proceeds of the ever-increasing tax burden. On the great issues affecting the destiny of this country you never hear a debate.

“Net Zero is a hoax based on pseudoscience. Immigration should be abolished and men in small boats prosecuted. Children should not be taught that gender is not binary. The Covid lockdown has caused great harm. Vaccines have killed and injured people.

“No one else on your ballot is allowed to talk about these things. Just me. If you want an independent voice in Parliament, you must be with me on the 4th of July.”

Liberal Democrat candidate Alice Delemare

“I am proud to be the Liberal Democrat candidate for North West Leicestershire so people can vote for someone who is a strong advocate for the environment, puts local communities first and makes sure everyone has a voice.

“After listening to the people in the constituency, I have three priority issues in this election. I am for greater protection of local green fields from unwanted and destructive development.

“Housing is needed, but it has to be in the right location. Housing should be affordable for local young people struggling to buy their first property. Top-down interference and building expensive housing on green fields will only lead to chaos.

“I will fight for more resources to regenerate our cities; they bring empty and iconic buildings like the Rex back into community use. I will push for better transport links for NW Leicestershire, including supporting the Ivanhoe line’s proposal to provide a passenger train line. from Coalville and Ashby to Leicester.

“I want to ensure that any new stations on the proposed line are fully step-free and accessible for disabled people and families with young children. I will advocate for a better deal for people who need care, making sure no one has to sell their home to pay for personal care.

“With my lifelong experience as a social justice activist, I am familiar with helping people rise up against flawed and unfair systems.”

Independent candidate Siobhan Dillon

“I have lived happily for 18 years in Coleorton, Leicestershire. Taught by the events of 2020, our democracy has become totalitarian overnight and the British character has turned upside down. A natural questioner/researcher with a penchant for science, I looked at how our government was changed.

“Authority, in the hands of one or more, can be used for good or evil. There must be checks and balances within a system to keep authorities working within their jurisdiction.

“I think the role of government is to facilitate people to lead their lives in peace. Humanity, a creative force of good, is endowed with inalienable rights that should be protected. Democracy, with a trial by jury, as established in our constitution, should be upheld, with the doctrine of the inferior magistrate.

“As a new parish councilor (and once union representative) I have seen that rules and protocols provide mechanisms to work in a fair and just way. Parliamentarians should scrutinize the government to ensure this. Some of the abuses of power come from giving up this ability by allowing too much secondary legislation.

“Stakeholder technocratic and capitalist influences must be reduced. Our common law heritage must be preserved. Freedom of thought and expression is essential – the truth does not bother its questions. Underpinned by these democratic principles, I will strive to give a voice to the people of NW Leicestershire.”

Labor candidate Amanda Hack

“We listened to people from all over North West Leicestershire. Unsurprisingly, many people are fed up with politics. However, this general election matters. Not just for you, but for your children and grandchildren. Let me explain.

“I moved to Leicestershire 30 years ago. I studied here, worked hard, built a career, bought a house and raised a family. It has been a privilege to lead the Labor group at City Hall. Being the MP for North West Leicestershire is one of my proudest achievements.

“But the last 14 years have been tough. Everywhere I look, things are going wrong – rising bills, food banks, collapsing schools, waiting for a doctor, sinkholes, rivers full of sewage, our weakened armed forces, the list goes on.

“This is the Britain our children will inherit if we don’t vote for change. We can lower your energy bills forever. We can get the NHS back on its feet. We can take our streets back from criminals. We can start the growth. Most importantly, we can break down the barriers to opportunity created by conservatives.

“This is just the beginning. Everything is fully funded. There will be no return to the economic chaos of recent years. Only a Labor government can make this happen; a protest vote elsewhere could result in another Tory MP.

“With your support, I will ensure that North West Leicestershire shares the fruits of a return to stability with a Labor government. Vote for change. Vote Labour.”

Also in North West Leicestershire are Carl Benfield for the Green Party, Noel Matthews for Reform UK and Craig Smith for the Conservatives. We requested their statements for inclusion in this article, but did not receive any by the publication deadline.