Mid Bedfordshire by-election: How visible will new MP be?

In the third of four by-election previews, we asked voters to put their questions directly to the candidates standing in the Mid Bedfordshire by-election. Will they be visible in the constituency - and what are their views on Brexit?

A total of 13 candidates will stand to replace Conservative MP Nadine Dorries with voting taking place on Thursday, 19 October.

Read about them here.

Former Mayor of Shefford, Paul Mackin, 70, wants to know if the new MP will be based locally.

He says having an MP who has not visible is a "major point".

He asks: "Are you going to be here to represent the people of Shefford and not live miles away and have other activities miles away where you can't be contacted?"

Emma Holland-Lindsay (Liberal Democrat): "Bedfordshire has been my home and I've been proud to serve as a local councillor and I've already held local surgeries across the county. It's really important that I prove to local people that I can be trusted to do the job properly."

Festus Akinbusoye (Conservative): "This is home for me; I have raised my family here for the last 15 years. I will immediately open a local constituency office and hold regular surgeries in our towns and villages."

Alistair Strathern (Labour): "I will always live here for as long as I'm lucky enough to be your MP and will have a visible constituency office. I will also have roaming surgeries and will be a regular fixture at your community events."

Gareth Mackey (Independent): "I live in Mid Bedfordshire. I fully intend to see out the rest of my life here. I have represented the community in one way or another as councillor for more than a dozen years."

Dave Holland (Reform UK): "I have been local to Mid Bedfordshire my whole life. I will hold at least 12 surgeries per year in different locations so I am easily accessible. I also pledge I will respond to every email and phone call within two working days."

Cade Sibley (Green Party): "Mid Bedfordshire has been my home pretty much since the day I was born. If elected, you will see me out and about listening to people."

Sid Cordle (Christian Peoples Alliance): "If I am elected I will be the most hard-working MP you have ever had. I will be a full-time MP."

Alan Victor (True and Fair Party): "I would establish a regular schedule so that I would be seen in every part of the constituency on an ongoing basis, attending regular surgeries and meeting people in every town and village."

Alberto Thomas (Heritage Party): "My home is in Bedford so I'm very close."

Chris Rooney (Mainstream): "I would move here with my family and stay local. My party wants to clean up the Westminster swamp outlawing all second jobs and all paid-for lobbying by MPs."

Antonio Vitiello (English Democrats): "I currently live in South West Bedfordshire. If elected as MP I will move into Mid Bedfordshire. I would also establish my office within the constituency."

Ann Kelly (Monster Raving Loony Party): "I live in Flitwick; my dentist is in Shefford. I will open a local office. I will be with the local people all the time."

Prince Ankit Love, Emperor of India (Independent): "I will be there to represent the people that vote, share and work alongside me always."

Jacqui Martina, 74, from Shefford, wants to know where candidates stand on the UK's relationship with the European Union.

"We've got a long way to go to get the correct deal, but going back would be a disaster," she says.

"What will you do on Brexit? Will you try to get a better deal or change it and go back to the EU?"

Emma Holland-Lindsay: "I have heard about the challenges businesses are facing with red tape. I would push for trade deals to be fixed to reduce bureaucracy and support our British businesses to thrive."

Festus Akinbusoye: "I believe there should be no going back. We must continue to maximise the benefits of Brexit - that means making it easier to do business by cutting unnecessary red tape and taking back control of our borders."

Alistair Strathern: "After years of back and forth, people want to move forward but we need a better deal with Europe. We will seek to reduce unnecessary barriers and work together with the EU in areas of common interest."

Gareth Mackey: "We must do better to open up new markets. I respect the choice of people in choosing our future outside EU but I don't like the antagonistic behaviour towards our nearest trading partner. We must do more to foster good relations with Europe."

Dave Holland: "The only Brexit benefit we have seen so far is that our government is now sovereign and can no longer blame the EU for their failure to act. We need to embrace the benefits of Brexit. If we diverge from the failing EU we will have the opportunity to grow faster than them."

Cade Sibley: "We want to talk to our EU partners about friendlier and more co-operative relationships and we want to get back in the single market and the customs union to make trade cheaper and getting around easier. We need to get rejoin-ready. That won't happen overnight."

Sid Cordle: "In my view it would have been better if we had left the EU with no deal. We could resort to that position in 2025 [when the trade deal is renegotiated]. Even if we left without a withdrawal agreement there will be immediate benefits. There is no economic argument for us to rejoin the EU but a massive economic benefit for staying out."

Antonio Vitiello: "I would seek a 100% absolute withdrawal from the EU. The most ideal way is for England to leave the UK, as this would take us out of any agreements with the EU."

Prince Ankit Love, Emperor of India: "I also voted leave. A better deal [with the EU] can only be achieved with respect to history and complete transparency in what we were not happy about when we were part of the EU."

Alan Victor: "We are the only party standing that is unequivocal in its commitment to rejoining the EU."

Alberto Thomas: "I am a Brexiteer and I, too, feel betrayed."

Chris Rooney: "We can't go back but we can get a better deal if the will is there to do that. Now that we've left, why are we still paying VAT at 20% and why are we still slaves to the European Convention on Human Rights?"

Ann Kelly: "Everyone should respect the result."

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