General Election in Hertsmere: Candidates set out key priorities

Hertsmere Conservative candidate Oliver Dowden puts forward his pitch to remain MP for Hertsmere.

He was first elected in 2015 after working as former Prime Minister David Cameron’s deputy chief of staff.

He said: “I am asking for people to give me the chance to continue the job.

“It is an honour to represent the place where I grew up and I love being able to give a voice to our local community.

“It is important to look at the national picture, but my first duty is to represent the people in Hertsmere.”

Mr Dowden is passionate about serving the community, and says that it is an honour to represent people directly.

He said: “I am conscious of what makes our area so special, as we have the best of both worlds, with access to London but being surrounded by beautiful countryside.

“I want to enhance that with protection for our green belt and maintaining access to London with the right infrastructure.”

Mr Dowden is an avid supporter of Theresa May and agrees with the Conservative message that she will provide strong, stable leadership for the country to get the best deal for the country in terms of Brexit. He said: “With the Brexit vote I was a reluctant remainer, but now the country have made their decision and we need to listen to what the people want.

“I am very worried about the prospect of Jeremy Corbyn being in charge and the threat he presents to our economic security.”

When not working, Mr Dowden says he is a real ale fan and enjoys frequenting the pubs in the area, as well as spending time with his two children.

He said: “We live in a diverse world and we need to work with people from all communities. We have a strong Jewish community in Hertsmere and I would like to use my voice to support them in Parliament.”

Green Party's Sophie Summerhayes: "I want social justice"

Sophie Summerhayes, the Green Party candidate for Hertsmere was not available for comment, despite several attempts to contact her.

On the Green Party website it states that she has been a party member since 2015, as their policies struck a chord with her.

The site quotes her as saying: “I have a strong belief in a fair society and social justice.

“The environment has always been important to me, but only since meeting like-minded people have I been able to take action for what I believe in.”

She is the leader of Watford Young Greens.

On her Twitter feed she is listed as being against the Conservative proposal to reinstate fox hunting and championed the protest song ‘Liar Liar’ about Theresa May reaching number one in the charts.

She is also in support of the proposals put forward by Cancer Research UK for the impending government, stating that cancer tests are given to patients earlier, new treatments be made available more quickly and that research is made a top priority in Brexit negotiations.

If elected she has put to her name to a pledge to campaign to change the voting system to proportional representation.

The pledge reads: “If elected, I will do everything I can to change to voting system to proportional representation, so that everyone will have

a vote that counts equally and seats will match the votes.”

On Twitter she has also supported the Green Party pledge to treat mental health with the same severity as physical health, as well as abolishing the tampon tax.

She tweeted saying: “I think this is terrible news!” to a Watford Observer article detailing plans by developer Liberty Aldenham to drain Aldenham County Reservoir after their planning application to build homes on the green belt.

UKIP's David Hoy: "I am sick of Brexit"

UKIP candidate David Hoy says he is sick of Brexit and shares his “progressive” views as to why he should represent Hertsmere.

He said: “Obviously we fought for Brexit, but it is not the only issue that needs addressing.

“It starts to grate on you when there is so much said about it when negotiations have not even started yet.

“I want to be there to make sure that the government of the day is held to account .”

Mr Hoy played a prominent part in the Vote Leave campaign with UKIP, but this is the first time standing as an MP.

He says that UKIP is a “progressive” party that is a grass roots movement standing up for those without a voice.

Although he does not stand with his party in banning the burkha, he believes that his party is the one that stands for the working classes.

He said: “I don’t believe in banning things, as where does that lead? But UKIP is avant-garde, it says what people are thinking.

“That used to be Labour, but when politicians get into parliament they are forced to toe the party line and their good intentions fly out the window.

“There are so many problems that need addressing, and there are so many promises made but no one does anything to fix it.”

His main passion is the NHS and he is dedicated to trying to fix it.

He said: “Doctors and nurses do incredible work, and we need to make sure that we attract people to these jobs.

“I used to work in the NHS and I think there are too many managers and we are not getting the best value for money with procurement.

“We should not except to come away with potions and pills after every GP appointment.”

The school site-manager grew up in the area, but says he loves talking to people of all walks of life

He added: “I love meeting people.”

Liberal Democrat Joe Jordan: "I value tolerance"

The Liberal Democrat candidate for Hertsmere says the economy and defending the interests of the Jewish community are reasons to vote for him.

Dr Joe Jordan is a first-time candidate, but has been a member of the party since he was studying at Cambridge University.

He says: “I’ve been a Lib Dem since I was 18, and found reasons to stay with the party.

“Their approach to the economy and definitions of what should be controlled and what should not be still resonates today.”

Although he has not stood in local office before, he has had friends who are councillors and has helped them with issues they have been challenged by.

The software engineer wants to make the move into politics because he is concerned about making a difference and helping people in the community.

The new father to eight-month-old Doran said: “An issue that strongly resonates with me is tackling anti-Semitism and discrimination in the community.

“This is an area where a high proportion of people identify as Jewish, and I want to tackle hate crimes and promote tolerance.

“I was lucky enough to work with an lady who was an Orthodox Jew, and I’ve heard her past experiences, so this is something I am passionate about fighting.”

He passionately backs the party’s environmental policies and has also campaigned with party leader Tim Farron for another EU referendum.

He said: “Already, we can see the detrimental effect this has had, with prices rising on imported food in supermarkets, and it is hurting those who need our help.”

In his spare time, Dr Jordan enjoys programming, science fiction and playing Dungeons & Dragons.

He said: “I think it is important for politicians to have other hobbies and interests, as they make you a well-rounded person.”

Labour's Fiona Smith: "Brexit is key"

The Labour Party candidate for Hertsmere Fiona Smith says that her party is the party of change.

The first-time candidate currently works as at a think-tank after being made redundant from her role as an RAF officer when the coalition were in power.

Although she currently lives in Hammersmith, Ms Smith has been campaigning, and the local issue she would most like to tackle is the infrastructure in the constituency.

She said: “There are only two or three roads coming in and out of Borehamwood, and residents  have real problems with the Thames Link railway.

“There are also issues with housing. We need to balance the demand for housing with the of growth and at the moment there is not anything to support it. What people in the area not someone to make promises, but someone that delivers.”

She believes that Brexit is the key national issue facing the country, and is something voters should consider at the polling booths.

She said: “With the Conservatives in power, we will not get the best deal from Brexit and this issue will take decades to sort out.

“The government of the day need to ensure we get the best deal from Europe so that people do not suffer.”

The candidate faced controversy earlier this year, when a Tweet she sent in 2014 demanding that Israel not be sold weapons.

She said: “I apologise if anyone was hurt by what I said, that was never my intention.”

She has been meeting with the Jewish community in Hertsmere and if elected hopes to work closely with them to make sure their voice is heard.

In her spare time, Ms Smith is involved in a choir and was recently part of an amateur production of exploring the role of food banks in the community.

Ms Smith his proud to be a part of the Labour Party. She said: “Jeremy Corbyn is getting  people interested in politics.”