Congleton’s MP Candidates and their policies: everything you need to know

This is your guide to the candidates standing at the 2024 general election.

The UK general election takes place on Wednesday, July 4. Alsager is part of the Congleton constituency, where seven candidates are standing to become the next Member of Parliament. Those candidates are:

• Fiona Bruce (Conservative)
• Sarah Russell (Labour)
• Paul Duffy (Liberal Democrats)
• Richard McCarthy (Green)
• Martin York (Reform)
• Kay Wesley (Women’s Equality)
• Rob Moreton (Independent)

Here is an overview of the candidates and what they stand for:

Fiona Bruce (Conservative)

Fiona Bruce has been the Congleton constituency’s MP since 2010. Before this she was a solicitor and businesswoman.

She earned 59 per cent of votes at the 2019 general election, more than every other candidate combined.

Her local priorities include:

• Championing local health provision
• Supporting better funding for local schools
• Improving local transport facilities
• Promoting jobs and enterprise
• Protecting the environment
• Strengthening community life.

Mrs Bruce has claimed to act on the issues that matter to voters including:

• Making sure Alsager’s sports pitches are maintained
• Speaking out against reduced library hours
• Inviting homeowners to meet the Housing Minister so their concerns can be addressed
• Campaigning to keep rail ticket offices open and pushing for better accessibility at Sandbach station.
• Working to improve full fibre broadband for all
• Campaigning for more police officers
• Pressing the government to increase funding for road repairs.
• Securing Government funds for Family Hubs.

For more information on Fiona Bruce’s campaign, visit her website here.

Sarah Russell (Labour)

Sarah Russell is a solicitor and school governor and a former councillor in Manchester.

She has claimed that only Labour has a plan to grow the economy and rebuild public services for a fairer, greener future.

Her pledges include:

• Delivering economic stability
• Cutting NHS waiting times
• Launching a new Border Security Command
• Setting up Great British Energy
• Cracking down on anti-social behaviour
• Recruiting 6500 new teachers
• Tackling sewage pollution in rivers.

Sarah Russell’s website can be viewed here.

Paul Duffy (Liberal Democrats)

Paul Duffy is a Town Councillor. He recently stood in the Police and Crime Commissioner election as the Liberal Democrats candidate for the Cheshire constabulary.

He will not have a second job if he is elected because he believes an MP should work for the constituency, not outside interests.

The Liberal Democrats wish to:

• Save the NHS
• End the cost of living crisis
• Stop the sewage dumping scandal.

Mr Duffy’s top priorities for Alsager are:

• To provide GP appointments within seven days and 24 hours for an emergency.
• Removing the two child benefit cap
• Tackling sewage dumping by abolishing Ofwat, the body responsible for of the privatised water and sewage industry
• To fix the criminal justice system, starting with violence against women and girls
• Working for the constituency, not outside interests.

The local Liberal Democrats website can be accessed here.

Richard McCarthy (Green)

Richard McCarthy has lived in Alsager and Congleton for 16 years, working as a teacher and a foster carer. Before this he worked as an energy audit trainer and consultant, focusing on addressing climate change.

He has promised to fight to protect the NHS, social care and housing, places of education and councils.

His priorities include:

• Defending the NHS by pushing for proper funding to bring down waiting times and ensuring everybody can see a GP and dentist
• Afford homes for everyone, in the right place
• An immediate ceasefire in Israel and Gaza
• Protecting Britain’s seas and rivers from sewage dumping by bringing water companies back into public hands
• Defending nature and tackling the climate emergency

The local Green Party website can be found here.

Martin York (Reform)

Martin York has lived in Congleton for 14 years. He only got involved in politics during the 2016 Brexit referendum and describes himself as a businessman, not a politician.

He has promised to represent all constituents no matter which party they support, and he will hold weekly surgeries in different locations, so he is accessible to everyone.

Reform’s five core pledges are:

• Freeze all non-essential immigration to boost wages, protect public services, end the housing crisis and cut crime
• Detain and deport illegal migrants in small boats and take them back to France if needed
• Reform healthcare including cutting back office waste to spend on the frontline. Cut NHS waiting lists and provide tax breaks for doctors and nurses
• Lift the income tax threshold to £20,000
• Scrap energy levies and Net Zero to slash energy bills and unlock Britain’s oil and gas reserves.

Visit Reform’s local website here.

Kay Wesley (Women’s Equality)

Kay Wesley is a Congleton Town Councillor. She has never considered herself a politician and has been angered for a long time by politicians failing the community.

She has claimed to have:

• Adopted the community safety charter, launched a domestic abuse clinic in Congleton and worked with Cheshire Police to challenge hate crime
• Fought for better childcare and improved access for people with disabilities
• Established a community hub to provide services to local people in need
• Created a bus improvement plan for Congleton and challenged developers for better bus services, cycle and walking provisions
• Led Congleton’s declaration of a climate emergency and lobbied for biodiversity and tree protections.

Mrs Wesley wants to:

• Build a sustainable and caring economy
• Invest in care
• End child poverty
• Build climate positive communities
• Reimagine work.

Further information on the Women’s Equality Party can be found here.

Rob Moreton (Independent)

Rob Moreton is a Cheshire East Councillor.

He has said that the public is his boss and has described himself as down to earth and working tirelessly for his community.

He has has promised to:

• Press the government to create more NHS dentists rather than private dentists and to save local services like the Congelton War Memorial Hospital
• Fight to get a visible police presence with local officers who know their communities
• Support the building of good quality, affordable housing
• Allow investment in council-run care homes
• Implement safety protocols to protect vulnerable users from cyber-attacks.

Mr Moreton’s Facebook page can be visited here.

Remember your photo ID on the 4th of July. Polling stations open at 7am and close at 10pm.

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