Election – Candidates for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk

All candidates for the Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk constituency have been given the opportunity to pitch for your vote.

John Lamont

Conservative

I’ve had the privilege of representing the Borders at the Scottish Parliament for the last eight years and would very much like to continue my service to the region.

Living in Coldstream, coming from a farming background and speaking to the thousands of constituents who have contacted me as an MSP, every day I see the challenges our region faces.

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During the past five years the Borders has had to deal with difficult economic circumstances, but it is a credit to the region that there are now real signs of economic recovery. More than 2,200 new jobs – the vast majority of them full-time – have been created in this constituency under the Conservative-led UK Government and more than 80 new businesses have been set up in the Borders.

Those on low incomes have received an £800 tax cut and we have gone from having the largest peace-time deficit to the fastest-growing economy in the Western world.

Small and medium-sized businesses are critical to our local economy. Unless we can offer our young people good quality jobs and support key sectors like farming and fishing, they will be forced to move elsewhere. With the numbers of unemployed young people continuing to fall, there are clear signs that the long-term economic plan of the UK Government is working.

But this economic recovery will be put at risk if we hand the keys back to Ed Miliband, propped up by Alex Salmond. Their plans would mean more borrowing and more debt for future generations, particularly for Scotland.

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And while the national picture is important, local issues will always be my priority. I’ve been knocking on hundreds of doors each week for a number of months now and getting out to speak to as many voters as possible. The same issues come up time and time again – the need to retain the community hospitals in Duns, Kelso and Hawick, the state of our roads, particularly the A7, A68 and A1, local jobs and the economy, the need for better broadband and mobile phone connectivity. There is also widespread concern about the continuing risk of Scotland separating from the rest of the UK.

If elected, I will continue to fight for local services, improvements to public transport and roads, and better broadband and mobile coverage for the Borders. While the reopening of the railway to Galashiels will assist the central Borders, more needs to be done to protect vital bus links and improve the roads elsewhere in the region.

I will continue to stand up for vital local services. I voted against court closures in the Borders. I have called on NHS Borders to rule out the closure of any community hospitals. I am committed to the Borders and will always put constituents before party politics.

With local opinion polls showing Nick Clegg’s Liberal Democrats in third place, it is clear I am the only pro-UK candidate who can beat the SNP in the Borders.

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The nationalists believe they can win here. The SNP believe in independence and that remains their number one goal, irrespective of whether there are more or less opportunities in Scotland, or people are better or worse off, or we’re able to invest more or less in public services.

A vote for anyone else will risk an SNP victory and another referendum on Scotland’s future within the United Kingdom.

Kenryck Lloyd-Jones

Labour

One of the reasons the Borders needs a Labour government is that we have one of the lowest wage economies in the UK, and only the Labour party is offering realistic policies to address low pay. Working people are on average £1600 per year worse off than five years ago.

The only people better off under this government are the very wealthiest. Millionaires have received tax cuts of £42,000 per year.

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Meanwhile the minimum wage has risen by just 20p to £6.70. Labour has pledged to increase the national minimum wage to £8 an hour by 2020. That’s a £3,000 a year rise in salary for full-time workers. This matters to thousands of workers in the Borders. Labour will also cut taxes for 24 million people through a lower starting rate of tax.

But it doesn’t stop there. We also want to see more and better jobs for young people, and Labour will guarantee a job, or training for all 18-24-year-olds that are out of work for a year or more. And by 2025, we aim to see as many people start an apprenticeship as go to university. That is good news for young people. But there is more, because Scottish Labour has also pledged a £1,600 grant to support young people to kick-start their career, to spend on training, or tools, or clothing in their chosen path. And young people will get free bus passes to support them to get to their place of work, which is especially important in rural areas like the Borders.

What we need in this region more than anything is a vibrant economy. Behind the figures on low pay are also those struggling in self-employment, who desperately need to see a more vibrant economy. Because local economies depend on local people with some money in their pocket at the end of the week. In local economies, everyone’s income is linked to everyone else’s.

So the Labour Party wants to put more money back in people’s pockets, with pay increases, tax cuts, fuel-price freezes and secure pensions. And that will lift local economies. And when local people have a bit more income, there is more economic activity, which supports local business to grow, creating more and better jobs into the future. Add to that a Labour government determined to invest in the future, and reopen contracts with local business for investment in infrastructure, and we have a plan for growth.

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David Cameron already has plans for more spending cuts, hacking away at benefits to working families, impoverishing the most vulnerable; policies that end in the foodbanks that now give out over 80 food parcels a week in the Borders. It’s a disgrace.

But we have a choice, and we can vote for change. Only Labour can make those changes. If we want a fairer and more just society, and a stronger economy across the Borders, we must vote for it, by voting Labour.

Michael Moore

Lib Dem

It has been my privilege to represent the Borders in the House of Commons for nearly 20 years – this is my home, where my wife Alison and I are proud to be bringing up our two young children.

Five years ago, my Liberal Democrat colleagues and I formed a coalition at a time of national crisis when the economy was in deep recession. It has been an extremely difficult time for the country, but as a result of taking the tough choices to stabilise the economy, we have seen unemployment fall, local businesses beginning to grow again and interest rates have remained low, which is vital for businesses and for people with mortgages.

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By rebalancing the country’s books we have been able to prioritise important issues like the £825 tax cut for people on low and middle incomes, a record rise in the state pension and support for apprenticeships. We have done this while stopping the Conservatives introducing regional pay for the public sector, cutting support for welfare by billions and introducing “fire-at-will” powers for employers.

In the past five years I have focused on issues that matter here, like bringing investment and jobs to the area and improving broadband and mobile phone services. For example, with the Eyemouth renewables group, I have been working to ensure that local businesses benefit from wind farm developments off our shores. I have also led the Borders Digital Forum, to bring improved mobile and broadband services to the area. There is still a long way to go on these issues and if I am re-elected they will continue to be my top priorities.

While Borderers voted resoundingly against independence for Scotland back in September, I know local people strongly support greater devolution to the Scottish Parliament. I was therefore pleased to play my part as Scottish Secretary and on the Smith Commission to deliver more powers to Scotland on tax, welfare and employability.

More recently I have piloted a law through parliament to ensure the UK supports the poorest in the world at the UN target of 0.7% of national income. From the meeting I held in Duns on development issues recently, I know many local people are passionate about helping people across the world who are less fortunate than themselves. As such, it was an enormous privilege to be able to secure UK aid for the future through this Bill.

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My most important job, of course, is at home here in Borders. I have held hundreds of advice surgeries across the constituency and fought the corner of countless local people over the years on issues from housing and pensions to employment and farming concerns.

It would be an enormous privilege to be able to continue to serve the people of the Borders on both local and national issues, and to continue to fight for a society that is fairer and an economy that is stronger where everyone has the opportunity study, work and reach their potential.

Calum Kerr

SNP

Next week, in the general election, the voters of the Borders will make an important choice.

The Westminster parties are offering more of the same – cuts, austerity, business closures and attacks on the most vulnerable.

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Only the SNP is proposing something different. Our agenda is one of hope, renewal and economic ambition. In short, a better Borders in a stronger Scotland.

We’re also the only party with an honest, transparent and costed programme – a programme which will bring real benefits to this constituency of Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk.

Our proposals for a 0.5 per cent rise in public spending are modest and sustainable, but they’ll allow at least £140billion extra to be invested in ending austerity, improving vital services including the NHS, and beating poverty. And at the same time we’ll still be able to pay down the deficit and the national debt run up by the Westminster parties.

I know the Borders needs the new start only the SNP can provide. I was born and raised locally and live here with my wife and three children. Generations of my family come from this part of Scotland.

This is my home, and I want the very best for it.

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It’s now a straight fight between us and the Tories – a poll by Lord Ashcroft a few days ago confirmed that.

The survey also showed that the Lib Dems are finished. Their unholy alliance in government with the Conservatives has pushed them into third place and their vote is still dropping.

If elected, I’ll start working for the Borders from day one. We need to reverse years of decline and create jobs, attract new investment, and restore fairness and dignity to the workplace.

To do this, our plans include 30,000 Modern Apprenticeships a year, a minimum wage of £8.70 by 2020, an end to zero-hours contracts and a near-doubling of free childcare.

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Our farming and fishing communities in particular need more help. The Westminster government won’t fight for them, so we’re at the very bottom of the European league when it comes to EU support. I’ll be doing everything I can to change that.

We also need improvements to our transport and communications. I’d like to see the new Borders Railway being extended on to Hawick and Carlisle, and upgrading of the A1, A7 and A68. Plus we need huge improvements in our patchy broadband and mobile phone networks.

If elected, I’ll be part of a dedicated team of SNP MPs at Westminster working to make Scotland’s voice heard like never before. I want full powers for the Scottish Parliament – powers which in turn will in turn bring positive change and prosperity to the Borders.

Remember that on May 7, every single vote will count. It’s a choice between more austerity and neglect with the Tories, or a better Borders in a stronger Scotland with the SNP. Please vote for me. Then together, we can make the Borders the best it can be.

Pauline Stewart

Green Party

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I am a full-time mum and charity shop volunteer who lives in Longformacus.

Actively involved in the Green Yes campaign, the continuing #stopTTIP and anti-austerity campaigns, I am a passionate supporter of the Citizens’ Basic Income and believe the Scottish Greens’ vision for tackling wealth inequality and bringing public services into public hands offers the electorate a real alternative in 2015.

I am campaigning for a £10 minimum wage and an end to zero-hours contracts to tackle the low-wage economy so prevalent in the Borders, and will also address the unfair targeting of the poorest by the austerity agenda by reversing welfare cuts, abolishing the Bedroom Tax and Workfare programme, as well as lifting the punishing benefit sanctions which I think are inhumane.

As well as scrapping Trident and campaigning for nuclear disarmament internationally, I would also like to see an end to the controversial fracking and Underground Coal Gasification (UCG) which is planned for Scotland.

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Whilst I welcome the Scottish Government’s moratorium on fracking, it unfortunately does not go far enough and does not include UCG which is currently planned for the Forth.

The moratorium is also due to end, conveniently, just after the Holyrood elections next year, so I would urge everyone who does not want to see fracking in Scotland to get involved in the various campaign groups around the country and put pressure on the Scottish Government to clarify its stance on this matter.

Whilst I am not ashamed to say that I am no fan of corporations or big business, I want to see a shift in policy to favour small businesses in our communities in order to provide a more sustainable local economy and regenerate our flagging high streets, as well as giving our rural agricultural producers more support against the supermarkets’ never-ending squeeze on their financial viability.

This is one of the reasons I am completely opposed to the current secret trade negotiations that are taking place across the world – most notably the TTIP which would see a removal of non-tariff trade barriers in the form of legislation to protect our environment, food safety and workers’ rights.

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Whilst there has been some welcome opposition to the inclusion of our public services (most notably the NHS) in this trade deal from some parties, this does not go far enough.

If we want to see our governments be able to act in our favour without fear of legal action from corporations, and if we want to see the survival of our small and medium businesses which provide 88% of all new employment outside of the public sector in this country, then we need to stand up and oppose these trade deals.

If you choose to elect me as your MP then I promise to oppose Trident renewal, TTIP and fracking unequivocally. I will work hard to achieve a more equal society and bring public services into public hands and bring more democratic powers to our local communities.

Jesse Rae

Independent

In 1977 my producer in Los Angeles, who owned the Record Plant recording studio, Gary Kellgren, was found drowned with his girlfriend in a swimming pool. But I knew this was wrong, and being the only other guest recording artist living in The Castle at Sunset Blvd, a quick exit was required back tae my parents house in St Boswells tae “regroup”.

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Work’n at Charlesfield at West Cumberland Farmers dae’n tatties,and farm labour’n at Fairnington, I went frae there tae work’n on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange in cotton commodities – while creating a new type of entertainment called music videos and winning awards for the Borders and Scotland.

I believe any of you reading this could dae these things too.

Next time hame, I was sing’n away in my parents’ garden in St Boswells and “Inside Out” for Odyssey was created, and a No. 1 in R&B charts, recording in Atlantic Studios, USA, and put taegether in the Borders.

That is why I’m standing as an MP candidate for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk, because I believe that the young people here have the talent tae dae much greater things than I could ever dae. So, further on, that is why I built Brick FM Community Radio St Boswells (www.brickfm.co.uk) that gave Hawick High School, Philiphaugh in Selkirk, Berwickshire High Shcool and Langlee in Galashiels their own broadcasting. That gave the students self-belief, confidence and valuable work experience, as well as excelling at school, and tae go out intae the world of work a success.

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Ofcom said tae me: “We don’t want children broadcasting.” Ofcom is Westminster. I want our own TV and radio licences for schools broadcasting across the Borders.

The Scottish Government lost the referendum, and with it broadcast devolution. I have tae go tae Westminster tae get what we need.

In 2006 tae 2008 the stock market and the world banks went intae meltdown. Democracy and all its splendour fell apart. The prime minister and his government made the decision tae save the banks instead o’ the people. British democracy finished there and then.

At Selkirk hustings I announced to my fellow candidates that I wanted their support. If they really are putting the Borders before their own personal ambitions, I can do what they can’t do, and they can’t do what I can do tae turn around all of this for all of us in a very short period of time.

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Tae work taegether, so this part of Scotland will survive the next devastating financial meltdown which is on its way.

As an Independent I am the only one who can represent us all. I would appreciate your support.

Peter Neilson

UKIP

This candidate decided against submitting a pitch. Reportedly, he has claimed he can use “psychic powers” to convince voters to back his party.