Northants MPs prepare for the general election

An MP has spoken of the importance of going into the general election with a positive frame of mind".

The Conservative MP for Kettering, Philip Hollobone, said his party was "fighting for every vote".

Wellingborough's new Labour MP, Gen Kitchen, who won her seat in a by-election three months ago, said she had hoped an autumn election would have given her more time "to unpack a few boxes".

Both Northamptonshire MPs have been reacting to the prime minister's shock announcement on Wednesday that a general election will take place on 4 July.

They remain as MPs until Parliament is dissolved on 30 May.

Mr Hollobone told BBC Radio Northampton: "The rumours started yesterday morning, and, by early afternoon, it became clear that Rishi Sunak was going to call it.

"It's really important to go into an election with a positive frame of mind.

"We're fighting for every vote and I've won elections, I've lost elections; it's always better to win."

Gen Kitchen said she would get help from party officials for her second election in six months.

"We have like a general grid that the national party will be focussing on, and you'll get some lines like 'this is what Labour's policy is on this area', so you don't have to remember the entire manifesto," she said.

"I thought it may be the autumn so I might have time to unpack a few boxes but here we are."

She added that she would be unable to use the leaflet she had already printed for her campaign as "that has 'MP' on it and - come dissolving of Parliament - you're not allowed to call yourself 'MP'".

The election announcement had disrupted her holiday plans, she said, adding: "I'd booked a lovely sailing trip in Croatia from 29 June.

"We'll see if we can cancel it with the travel insurance, I think it's the only time I've pulled the MP card."

The Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey said the election would be a chance to "transform our politics" and an opportunity to sort out the economy and the health system.

Green Party co-leader Carla Denyer said its key priorities for the election were the NHS, housing, sorting out the sewage in rivers - and tackling the cost of living crisis.

The Reform Party's Richard Tice said his party intended to fight in almost every seat.

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