T20 presentation 5 a

HAYLING ISLAND GROUP - GENERAL ELECTION TOP 20 QUESTIONS

Day 5 – Answers to the last four questions::17. Would you support the building of wind turbines, to generate electricity, within our constituency?

18. Now that there is a possibility that the traditional two-party system may be in danger of collapse, is this the opportunity to consider a fairer electoral system, such as proportional representation, which could result in a mix of MPs reflecting more accurately the wishes of the electorate in general?

19. The proportion of the electorate that votes in UK elections has been declining for many years, abstainees often commenting that 'politicians lie and are all the same'. Why are so many people so disillusioned with politics and how do you think this section of the electorate should be re-engaged into the democratic process?

20. If you were elected as a Member of Parliament and could enact one single new law to benefit positively life in Britain, what would it be?

Alan MakConservative Party

17. Would you support the building of wind turbines, to generate electricity, within our constituency?

No. I don’t support onshore wind turbines within the constituency.


No. Proportional representation (PR) systems are unnecessarily complicated, expensive and do not produce decisive results. We have very recently considered a form of PR, namely the Alterative Vote (AV). We had a national referendum on the issue in 2011, and the British public said No to AV (67.9% voted against). Our First Past the Post system is easy to understand and administer (the candidate with the most votes wins), and apart from 2010 has usually produced decisive results in general elections.


There is a feeling that politicians are “all the same” and that politics doesn’t especially matter because nothing ever changes. However, at this election, politics definitely does matter – and every vote does counts. This election is clear choice between a strong, competent Conservative government that is building for a secure and prosperous future for the country, and turning our economy around – or the economic chaos and instability of Ed Miliband and Ed Balls in Downing Street propped up by the Scottish Nationalists. We should also engage people in ways that interest them, including using social media, public meetings and answering questions in surveys like this. We need to make politics fit around people’s lives, rather than the other way round.


I would vote for more funding for school breakfast clubs. Before local residents chose me as their Conservative MP candidate, I served as President of Magic Breakfast, a children’s charity that sets up school breakfast clubs and feeds hungry children. It costs around £42 a year to feed a young child breakfast during term time, and breakfast boosts a student’s classroom concentration, attainment and exam results. It would be a very worthwhile investment.

Tim DawesGreen Party

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Yes. Off-shore certainly, where shipping lanes allow, and on-shore where practical. I would certainly support community owned wind turbine solutions, perhaps linked to pumped storage hydro systems, OF AN APPROPRIATE SCALE, on Hayling.

18.Now that there is a possibility that the traditional two-party system may be in danger of collapse, is this the opportunity to consider a fairer electoral system, such as proportional representation, which could result in a mix of MPs reflecting more accurately the wishes of the electorate in general?

Yes. I support electoral reform at all levels of government. It is overdue in local government as well as parliament. In fact, in local government, with the multi-member ward system we have here in Havant Borough, it hard to find any kind of argument for not having it.


It could be something to do with the fact that politicians have proved sometimes to be greedy, out of touch and not always entirely trust-worthy. I think it's also the result of having an unfair election system and one that pushes all the main parties to the right-centre ground making them very similar and very conservative (with a small C). However, I feel that a much more significant factor than any of these is the decline of community and community-identity. The idea that we are all just individual consumers with no sense of collective responsibility came along with consumer materialism, globalisation and a sense that individual rights are more important that collective duty. This tendency, strongly espoused by right-wing conservatives and pandered to by Labour and the Lib Dems is a corrosive force in our society. Do you know something? Greed isn't good - it's evil. We can only exist at all as individuals within a mutually supporting society. More equal societies are happier and more stable. So what would I do? Well, in the short term I would encourage individuals to re-engage with their community, or that part of their community they most relate to, and in the longer term, I would change our much of the way we relate, work and live together to make individualism less significant and get people wanting to work for the common good.


There are so many and I would of course want to talk to others and take soundings – especially if I came high up in the private member's bill ballot. But I think an Electoral Reform bill that brought in a truly fair election systems would have a lasting impact for good in our country, so in order to answer your question, that's the one. This said, as Caroline Lucas has proved in her first term in parliament as the first Green MP, there is a lot of ground you can cover in 5 years if you are determined enough to make change for the better and are prepared to work with others of good faith to make it happen.

Dr Graham GilesLabour Party


I’m not against the construction of efficient coastal and off-shore wind turbines in principle, as long as they’re appropriately located with proper environmental impact assessments. This should include negotiated benefits for local residents and businesses in terms of financial and energy incentives. There are clear advantages in renewable technologies like wind and solar power, as turbines and solar panels can ultimately be removed and landscapes easily reinstated. Such innovation is to be preferred over fracking, which causes permanent environmental damage, with pollution to springs and aquifers. It also releases other seriously global warming gasses such as methane. Natural gas may be cleaner than coal, but it is still a damaging fossil fuel – that causes man-made climate change. People once expressed reasonable objections to land turbines on the basis of perceived ugliness and disturbance. This is much less a matter of concern these days, not least as people admire their sculptural elegance and clean technology. Modern windmills have become familiar landmarks across Britain and Europe replacing the belching coal power stations, which were so ubiquitous and unhealthy in past generations.


Irrespective of the outcome of the 2015 general election, I would personally be in favour of a fairer system for electing our MPs that better reflects public opinion across the country. There are many inherent problems with our current “first past the post” system, including a bias towards two parties that must control the minority ‘swing-vote’ in order to form a government. Pressure to vote tactically for a second choice to keep a third party out of power does not reflect individual preference. This is a disincentive to vote if one’s preferred party doesn’t have any chance of being elected. However, my view is that any change to our voting system should be accompanied by retention of sensible equitable constituency boundaries and the introduction of compulsory voting as a citizenship responsibility. This would strengthen the power of personal democracy and force politicians to debate on the issues. Currently the system encourages some candidates with a sense of entitlement to apply for the job without needing to debate the difficult questions, or even turn up for the job interview.


There are many reasons for disillusioned and disengaged electors, including of course recent scandals of MPs abusing Parliamentary and EU restaurant expenses. Failure by politicians to live up to their job description is damaging to public confidence. Lib Dems signed covenants never to increase university tuition fees, Tory’s promised not to impose a top-down reorganisation on the NHS, guaranteed to wipe out the deficit by 2015, and foolishly committed to reduce immigration to 10s of 1000s “no ifs, no buts!”. Understandably this all leads to cynicism and lower voter turn-out. For my part, I will re-engage the electorate through exposing truth and empowering hope. This means setting clear objectives I know can be achieved through diligence, hard work and a smart entrepreneurial approach to funding projects and the priorities people want to achieve in Havant. For example, I’ve already identified billions of Euro available to our constituency from existing EU funds for Geo-thermal renewable energy, Cycling infrastructure, extra-mural Education projects, and Environmental protection to protect our coastline.


Solar PV panels on all south-facing roofs to generate electricity.

I invested in 18 SolarPV panels on my roof three years ago. They already generated more than 14,000 kW hrs. My quarterly electric bill averages about £15. Imagine what benefits such installations could make to families and enterprises in Hampshire and to our environment across the country.30% of our national energy demand is domestic. Generating electricity from sunlight is a win-win-win-win policy, for our environment, our energy economy, our family budgets, and our local neighbourhood enterprises. Solar PV panels not only efficiently return installation costs within 5 years (less in Havant and Hayling where sunlight is 150% above the national average), they also significantly reduce family electricity bills, provide skilled apprenticeships & employment, create permanent business opportunities, and achieve sustainable zero-carbon energy to protect the planet.With short-term interest rates now at 0% the cost of this national policy makes it ‘a no-brainer’. In the term of one parliament Solar PV would more than pay for itself - and then provide another 20 years of free benefits. For the people of Britain my proposed law would achieve for many, elimination of energy poverty and empowerment of business growth, even with no further public investment from future governments.

Steve SollittLiberal Democrats


Yes. I would support the building of wind turbines and also the use of tidal energy in the constituency


The present system has failed for a number of years since the rise of a third party in a system not designed for that concept. It was clear in 2010 when the Liberal Democrats received nearly a quarter of the vote but only 57 seats that they system was in need of change and indeed the Liberal Democrats tried to get this change made but it was thrown out by the Tories. 2015 will show again that the system is unrepresentative and unfair and that residents in safe seats for a particular party won’t have their voice heard as the system disadvantages them. I have always supported and continue to support a PR system


I feel there are two issues leading to disillusionment with politics

Firstly, is the system to elect politicians. As I highlighted in my answer to Q18 and the failings of the first past the post system, the system does not encourage engagement in safe constituencies in a way that makes a difference and engages the public

Secondly, is often the perceived differences (or lack of them) between political parties. It’s up to all of us to be clear about how we are different and use examples of how we have made that difference. The issues around the perception of all politicians lying is unfortunate as most are hardworking and dedicated individuals. The only way we are going to increase participation, without introducing an Australian system of fines if you don’t vote, is by connecting with people and how politics impact on their lives.


I would look to implement our Green Building Bill if we weren’t in a position to do this as part of government. This bill would require every home to be properly insulated by 2035 keeping bills down and cutting carbon and keeping people cool in the summer and warm in the winter. The bill would also give residents who insulate their homes fully £100 a year off their council tax bills for 10 years.

John PerryUnited Kingdom

Independence Party


UKIP Policy is no to wind turbines since they are inefficient and create additional wealth for rich people through the use of subsidies that are paid for by the poor through green surcharges. However, UKIP has a policy on local referenda, and if Hayling voted for turbines, I’d be compelled to support residents as the overarching UKIP policy is that UKIP MPs must follow the wishes of their residents.


As much as the first past the post system disadvantages UKIP, it does tend to give more decisive government


I agree, the leaders of the LibDems, Labour and Conservatives are all multi-millionaires, and career politicians. How can career politicians represent ordinary people if they have not had a job in industry and commerce? UKIP are different, Nigel Farage has had a substantial job outside politics, and I hope my significant commercial experience will convince voters that UKIP as a party and I as a candidate are not all the same.


Exit the EU and allow the UK and not the EU to write our laws, control our borders and govern ourselves. I believe in Britain; I believe in Havant and I believe in you.

That’s it for Day 5All 20 questions have now been answered

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T20 presentation 5 a

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