Candidates face key issues in Trowbridge General Election

More than 120 people attended a general election rally in Trowbridge on Wednesday night (June 26) as local candidates faced off against a variety of key issues.

These include the environment and climate change, education, health, the cost of living crisis, housing, pensions, Europe, political culture and whether the electorate can trust MPs.

The 90-minute event at West Wilts Vineyard at Emmanuel’s Yard was hosted by Rev Tracey Lewis, from Christian Action in the Trowbridge area.

The Reverend Tracey Lewis hosts the South West Wiltshire constituency in Emmanuel’s Yard. Trowbridge. Image: Trevor Porter 77167-5 (Image: Trevor Porter)

Labor candidate Evelyn Akoto debated the issues alongside Conservative Andrew Murrison, Liberal Democrat Bret Palmer, UK Reform candidate Garry Irvin and independent candidates Thomas Culshaw and James Ward.

Green Party candidate Fay Whitfield did not attend and was represented by Tony Free.

More than 120 people took part in the South West Wiltshire constituency poll at Emmanuel’s Yard in Trowbridge. Trevor Porter 77167-2 (Image: Trevor Porter)

Rev Lewis said: “I doubt very much that we will be able to answer all the questions, so we are connecting them to a wide range of areas.”

She allowed candidates two minutes each to respond, and those who overran were promptly told to stop.

All the candidates agreed with an issue raised by Clive Jackson, of Trowbridge Debt Advice Service, saying “no-fault” evictions should be banned.

Mr Jackson said: “7,863 households received no-fault eviction notices between January and March 2024.”

He said that although Parliament had promised to end them, the legislation had yet to happen and the issue was “exacerbating” the UK’s housing problems.

Michael Gove, the Secretary of State for Equality, Housing and Communities, has promised to scrap Section 21 notices by the end of Parliament.

The Tenants (Reform) Bill, which received second reading last October, ran out of time when Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called a general election.

A future government – ​​whichever party wins the July 4 general election – is likely to reintroduce legislation in the new Parliament to ban no-fault evictions.

Reform UK’s Garry Irvin said: “No-fault evictions must and should be stopped” and called for every household to receive a £20,000 tax-free allowance to tackle the cost of living problem.

Independent Thomas Culshaw said: “Evictions should not be banned” and called for minimum/maximum rent controls to be introduced to prevent landlords extorting money from tenants.

Dr Murrison, of the Conservative Party, said there was “cross-party” support for the bill to abolish Section 21 to stop no-fault evictions and said a Conservative government would impose a cap on land rents.

Independent candidate James Ward said: “No-fault evictions should be repealed immediately.”

He called for more modular and cheaper housing to be built to enable young people to get on the housing ladder.

The Green Party’s Tony Free said: “Evictions should not be stopped” and said his party would introduce a bill for citizens’ incomes that would be taxable.

The Labor Party’s Evelyn Akoto said: “If we win, we will end no-fault evictions as soon as we can.”

She said Labor wanted to empower local councils to take stronger action to increase housing stock.

The Liberal Democrat’s Bret Palmer said they also wanted to ban no-fault evictions, adding that “we want to provide more social housing”.

More than 120 people took part in the South West Wiltshire constituency poll at Emmanuel’s Yard in Trowbridge. Trevor Porter 77167-3 (Image: Trevor Porter)

Afterwards, Trowbridge Mayor Stephen Cooper, who remains politically neutral during his year in office, said he thought it was a good event.

He added: “I thought there were some interesting answers and some strange answers.

“But all the responses gave us an insight into the people who are asking for our vote.”

Dr Murrison has represented the South West Wiltshire seat since 2001. At the last general election in December 2019, he had a majority of 21,630 (39.4%).