The five men who will battle it out in the hope of becoming North Somerset’s next MP have outlined what they will make a priority if elected to represent the area.
Voters will go to the polls on May 7 for the General Election when they will have to choose between Greg Chambers, David Derbyshire, Liam Fox, Ian Kealey and Marcus Kravis.
As well as taking a look at their pledges on this page, Times online readers can also read their biographies and watch a one minute video manifesto from each candidate on our election homepage.Greg Chambers: Labour.
* More houses are needed in North Somerset. Labour will build 200,000 each year nationally by 2020.
* Better rail and bus services might help severe road and rail congestion. First on the list would be Portishead station.
* There are not enough primary school places in North Somerset. Labour will stop free schools and re-introduce local school place control.
* 300,000 fewer older people are getting care compared to 2010. Labour is committed to buying care as a whole package for a year and also finding 5,000 more GPs and 20,000 nurses.
* For young people, a jobs guarantee for those unemployed for a year, a new technical baccalaureate alongside A-levels, introduce technical degrees and reduce tuition fees to £6,000.
* Visible neighbourhood policing will be at the heart of Labour’s plans. We will abolish Police and Crime Commissioners and return the money to the front line.
David Derbyshire: Green Party.
* I will support a new tax avoidance bill in the first 100 days of the new parliament.
* I will work to repeal the 2012 Health & Social Care Act, and support an NHS reinstatement bill to reverse the creeping privatisation of the NHS and ensure adequate funding.
* I will oppose any attempts to carry out fracking across the constituency.
* I will conduct fortnightly surgeries across the constituency.
* I will work with the newly-elected North Somerset Council to secure fair funding for our schools, roads and other needs that have been cut in recent years.
* I will work with North Somerset CCG and the council to secure fair funding for the NHS and social care across the commissioning area, and to amalgamate these services so those who need it can be cared for in a more joined up way.
Liam Fox: Conservatives.
* I pledge to continue to work for a strong economy supporting jobs, education and quality healthcare. North Somerset enjoys a thriving economy where unemployment has fallen to 0.6%.
* Only the Conservatives can deliver a referendum on Britain’s future in Europe and sensibly controlled immigration.
* The largest piece of unfinished business in North Somerset remains the issue of housebuilding. More housing must be accompanied by the appropriate infrastructure.
* I will fight to protect our countryside and greenbelt from unsustainable housing development and pylons.
* Many people have raised the fear of an SNP-dominated Labour government. I share that fear, not least for the survival of United Kingdom itself.
* In an increasingly unstable world, we need to protect our country from the dangers we face. We must maintain our defence capabilities, our NATO commitments and support our armed forces.
Ian Kealey: UKIP.
* We will restore morale in the armed services; we are the only party that will increase spending to two per cent of GDP.
* The NHS likewise suffers from poor leadership and lack of funding; we will spend £12billion on nurses, doctors and midwives.
* UKIP will cut waste on Government spending; ensuring for example that overseas aid goes to the people who need it. By saving £9billion on the EU, £4billion on HS2, £5.5billion on Barnett, UKIP is also the only party able to cut taxes while improving services.
* Seventy per cent of our laws are made by unelected people abroad. UKIP will restore democracy to the UK; our own Parliament will decide our laws.
* Education spending is set to fall after the election unless a strong UKIP presence prevents it.
* The National Planning Policy is not working for North Somerset. UKIP will tear it up; housing needs will be determined locally.
Marcus Kravis: Liberal Democrats.
* Portishead priority: The railway and seeing that to fruition.
* Clevedon priority: The provision of a new community hospital.
* Nailsea priority: The power lines issue is still one of the most important issues, especially as I have recently discovered that if they build a tidal lagoon in Wales, they plan to transfer the electricity to Avonmouth under the water, yet they do not seem to be able to do this from Hinkley Point.
* The provision of affordable housing for both young and old, is a huge problem in the whole of North Somerset, but also the provision of the infrastructure that is needed. Dealing with the planning application free-for-all that is going on by big developers in North Somerset and getting localism back on the agenda.
* Fighting for the rural economy.
* Fighting for fairer funding for our schools in North Somerset.
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