What Washington and Sunderland West's General Election 2019 candidates promise to do for you

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Val Allen (Conservatives)

The majority of people in Washington and Sunderland West voted to leave the EU.

As the Conservative Parliamentary candidate, I have pledged to support Boris and get Brexit done.

The Conservative Party is the only party that can get Brexit done: a vote for any other party will bring more delay, uncertainty and two more referendums.

Once we get Brexit done, 2020 will be the year that Parliament can get on with running the country; ensuring that we have a health service that is properly funded and is there look after everyone; recruiting more police to keep our streets safe; a better transport and infrastructure system to attract investment to the area and bring immigration under proper control.

Businesses in Washington and Sunderland West need an MP who understands business and the importance of getting a great deal on leaving Europe so that the supply chain is not disrupted and they can carry on with their business and provide jobs and security for the people in the area.

I am determined to use my experience to ensure that we attract great companies and have a highly skilled workforce through our pledge to fund retraining.

Only by voting Conservative can we stop the uncertainty that is paralysing our country and get on with things that matter.

I will make sure the voice of the North is heard loud and clear in Parliament and get Brexit done, to make sure the change people voted for is a success and to un-leash the potential of Washington and Sunderland West.

Howard Brown (Brexit Party)

My father was a Tyne & Wear Labour party councillor and I often used to help him campaign.

I have voted labour all my life up to and including the 2017 General Election.

But since 2017, the Labour Party’s definition of democracy differs greatly from mine.

That made me look around the environment I was brought up and worked in.

It was clear that the labour party both local and national have ignored Washington and the City of Sunderland, while at the same time taking their votes for granted.

Now is the time for change. Only the Brexit Party offers real change.

W Somerset Maughan once said: “If you refuse to accept anything but the best, you very often get it.”

The apparent lack of ambition by our current Labour MP has meant that Washington and the City of Sunderland in my view does not get the best.

The Conservative Party are running a “paper” only outside candidate, so as far as I am concerned they don’t want the best for Washington and the City of Sunderland.

Therefore I believe I am the best candidate for Washington and Sunderland West.

Born and bred in Sunderland.

A Sunderland teacher for over 30 years

Leader of Sunderland NUT for over 20 years.

Promises to listen and act on behalf of people in Washington and Sunderland West.

Will campaign to develop our Brownfield lands before our Green Belts

If you don’t want Brussels for Christmas, vote Howard Brown.

Michal Chantkowski (Green Party)

Things have to change in Washington, Sunderland and the North East.

The main political parties don’t care about our area, in my view, as they either take it for granted (Labour) or do not believe they can win here (Tories). As a Green. I am committed to fighting for an elected assembly for the North East, with powers over our transport and the wider economy.

Personally, I am also in favour of Washington having its own town council.

We need true democracy and devolution of power to the lowest possible level and away from Westminster.

We are facing a climate crisis, the climate emergency is already having an impact on food production, weather and our own personal safety (flooding!). Only the Greens have the guts to stand up for our planet.

I will stand up for the NHS. This means proper resources and funding social care, as well as GP practices, hospitals and other parts of the service – if we neglect one part, cracks will start appearing elsewhere.

Standing up for the NHS also means opposing Brexit, especially a hard one and opposing Johnson’s dodgy sell-out of our NHS to Trump’s America. There are now serious concerns over the validity of the referendum due to foreign interference. I therefore support a final say referendum.

I have lived in the North East since 2006 and in Sunderland since 2012.

I am currently a manager at a community organisation in Sunderland - the main project I work on supports victims of modern slavery and workplace exploitation.

Sharon Hodgson (Labour)

It has been an honour to represent our area in Parliament for the last 14 years, first as the MP for Gateshead East and Washington West (2005-10) and following boundary changes, Washington and Sunderland West since 2010.

During that time, I have worked tirelessly to represent everyone in our local communities.

I have called for further investment in the North East, including for transport infrastructure in order to bring the Metro to Washington and nationally for more funding for our fire and rescue services, schools, the NHS and the police force.

More locally, I have defended the Primary Care Centre’s in Bunny Hill and Washington and I’m still campaigning against the incinerator planning application in Hillthorn Farm, which will be devastating to our communities.

The North East has suffered as a result of austerity that the Conservative and Liberal Democrat Coalition Governments have imposed over the last nine years. You can’t trust Boris Johnson to end years of cruel Conservative cuts.

Only the Labour Party is on the side of the people. A Labour Government will end damaging Tory cuts and rebuild the public services we all rely upon.

Labour will end in-work poverty, food poverty, food bank use, rough sleeping and will scrap and replace the hated Universal Credit.

If re-elected to be your MP, I will continue to be a strong and trustworthy representative for everyone in our constituency, I will continue to champion our local area and always stand up for the most vulnerable in society.

Keith Jenkins (Ukip)

Dear Washington and Sunderland West Voters,

I became active in politics earlier this year as I felt I could no longer stand by and do nothing to stop the decline of my neighbourhood and the city I dearly love and in which I am proud to have been born and brought up.

Community spirit used to be strong and people looked out for and helped each other.

So, I stood for UKIP in the Sunderland City Council elections, and was successful with a massive 40.9% of the vote.

UKIP councillors were elected in other Sunderland wards too, proving that voting differently to the way your parents and grandparents used to, CAN change the outcome.

When the General Election was announced I wanted to stand as a Parliamentary candidate because I believe the people of Washington and Sunderland West should have an MP who not only knows and loves the area and wants to make it a better place for their children and grandchildren as I do, but who will also work to implement their 2016 vote to leave the EU.

If you vote for me as your MP, you will see me working in the area, not just at election time.

You will see me trying to rebuild community cohesion and trying to improve the lives of ordinary people all the time. Not just at election time. You will be able to knock on my door. You will be able to trust me.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

Carlton West (Liberal Democrats)

My name is Carlton West and I am the Liberal Democrat candidate for Washington and Sunderland West.

Being a local lad I feel I know what the Washington and Sunderland West constituency needs to be a better place to live.

The reason for that is I am actually one of the constituents who needs things to improve.

I have lived in Washington all my life apart for the six years when I was in the military. I would campaign for better transport across the whole city.

Not only better bus services but the metro eventually getting to Washington and opening the Leamside Line.

We need to make the Westminster government understand that when they talk about the Northern Power House, the North does not stop at Manchester.

We need some of that money up here. We need more jobs with a better mix of white and blue collar taking advantage of the technical revolution and taking away the reliance on Nissan.

I would campaign for more starter/affordable homes for our constituency as we seem to be building loads of 3 to 4 bed executive homes but very few in the 60k to 80k area.

We would concentrate building on brown field sites and not our green spaces.

If elected I would campaign relentlessly for the people of Washington and Sunderland West and commit to knocking on doors in my constituency and make sure I stay connected to my people so I can represent them effectively.