General election 2019 parliamentary candidates for Walthamstow

As part of our countdown to December 12, the East London Guardian continues its parliamentary candidate profile series with Walthamstow.

In 2017 Labour’s Stella Creasy won comfortably with 80.6 per cent of the vote share.

The constituency, historically a Labour stronghold, voted Remain in the EU referendum with 66.51 per cent of the vote share.

Here are your candidates for Walthamstow:

Labour – Stella Creasy

Walthamstow has been my family home for over 20 years. That’s why it’ll always be my priority. I’m asking for your vote on December 12 so I can keep on fighting for our community and our country.

We can give Walthamstow a better future if we fight Brexit together. Johnson’s hard Brexit risk will put jobs at risk, it will make working with our European neighbours harder and it will open the door to the NHS for Donald Trump. We can’t let it happen.

My track record fighting Brexit is clear- I voted against triggering Article 50, campaigned for a People’s Vote and I still believe we are better off in the European Union. Return me as our MP and I’ll keep making that case –I will always stand up to those who want Brexit at any cost.

It’s not just Brexit that’s at stake at this election. Britain’s crying out for the positive change only a Labour government can bring- and people who can make change happen. Sending me back to Westminster will mean a strong voice for our healthcare services, a champion for our schools and the funding they need, and an advocate for action against the climate emergency we face.

I’ve shown time and time again that even in difficult circumstances I can make a difference. I brought the Met Commissioner here to see our need for more police firsthand, and I supported local residents affect by the Mall fire. I’ve won campaigns in parliament that have changed lives – from fighting legal loan sharks to winning billions for public services by changing tax laws and securing abortion rights for women in Northern Ireland. Vote for me on December 12 so I can continue to champion the causes our community cares about.

Conservatives – Shade Adoh

I have close family friends in Walthamstow, I have spent the last few months getting to know the area and understand that there are some issues that you are concerned about.

I will work with residents to find solutions to the unintended consequences caused by the Mini Holland scheme.

Everyone living in Walthamstow and visiting should feel safe when out in the streets. I will work with local groups and the young people to seek local solutions and will fight for our fair share of the promised extra Police officers under the Conservative government.

Every child in Walthamstow deserves a good education and this view has been expressed to me by some residents. Investing more in schools as promised by the next Conservative is a promise I will ensure works for our children. I will work with the schools and the council to support a Youth Council.

I am a Registered Nurse with a strong belief in advocating for my patients and committed to ensuring that our NHS continues to meet the needs of everyone who needs it. There are challenges that am sure I can work with the Conservative government on to overcome and continue to deliver world class care.

Working in the community has shown me how crucial it is to meet the needs of the most vulnerable in our communities and the difficulties of accessing the service

sometimes. I will strongly advocate for an open and fair system of access in a Conservative government.

So, I am able and willing to work with residents to ensure the regeneration plan is effected on time according to agreed terms. I am able to represent a diverse community by getting the different communities to work together and appreciate their different positive contributions.

I am not a career politician, instead, a nurse with a ‘real’ world perspective developed through my relationships with patients, parents and service providers in the health and social care sector where policies and strategies impact everyday lives.

Liberal Democrats – Meera Chadha

I want everyone in Walthamstow to be able to lead a happy, secure and fulfilling life.

Yet, for many that isn’t the case: inequality is rising, pollution is cutting short lives, homes are unaffordable, rents are insecure and knife crime has increased 80 per cent since 2015. I want to focus on addressing these issues to build a brighter future for everyone in Britain - not spend the next decade tied up in trade negotiations and legislation.

By revoking Article 50 on day one, we can move on to addressing the inequalities that have left so many behind. The resulting £50 billion ‘Remain bonus’ would be invested in our NHS, our schools and to improve infrastructure to boost jobs and living standards.

As your MP, I will work straight away to cut carbon emissions by 75 per cent by 2030. I will tackle the root causes of knife crime to keep young people safe and I will fight for investment in our schools and nurseries, so children get the best start in life regardless of their background.

For too long, we’ve been forced to choose between a Labour party that can’t agree internally and a Conservative party that is lurching to the right. Neither party is being honest about how long any Brexit deal will take to conclude, or the hugely negative impact it will have.

Labour and the Conservatives want you to think there are only two choices at this election. But your vote is much more powerful than that - the European elections showed Liberal Democrat support can exceed both those two old, tired parties. Use this opportunity to vote for a brighter, different future.

Green Party – Andrew Johns

Environmental concerns are at an all-time high with protests and strikes occurring weekly, but voting is just as important as protesting to effect change.

Yet politicians aren’t showing consistency when it comes to the environment; declaring climate emergencies while simultaneously backing airport expansion, fracking, tree-culling, new incinerators, new coal plants, and more.

Voting Green gives climate chaos the attention it demands. It ensures those in power follow up climate emergency declarations with real actions, putting the environment at the heart of all policy-making.

That means immediate and transformative investment in climate action. The Green Party propose £100bn a year to tackle the climate emergency, a figure that will pale in comparison to the cost if we don’t act decisively. This comes in the form of a Green New Deal and eco-subsidies, which will create new jobs, increase tax returns, and lower energy bills for everyone.

We will build 100,000 new energy-efficient homes every year for social renting and increase investment in public transport.

We would reverse cuts to public services and treat serious youth violence as a public health crisis.

I back a People’s Vote, and would again campaign to remain in the EU, but we also need to solve the democratic and socioeconomic problems that led to Brexit in the first place.

That means, as well as creating a fairer, greener Britain, we need to introduce proportional representation so that we no longer undergo pressure to vote tactically or to enter political pacts.

The Greens have a clear vision of the future, not just environmentally, but economically and socially. It’s bold long-term holistic planning in a political world dominated by short-term thinking and gamesmanship. It’s about time other parties caught up.

On December 12, vote for a party that says YES to Europe, and no to Climate Chaos.

Brexit Party – Paul Campbell

I am a businessman with over a twenty of experience having founded and run an award winning inventory report business that serves tenants, landlords and lettings agents in London and the surrounding areas. I built an inventory report App that is available in over 58 languages and is used extensively by my own business and many others in the UK, which is award winning and a market leader and I have helped many dozens of people set up and run their own successful businesses.

I am not a career politician like my opponents but I am passionate about politics. I am in my early 50’s divorced with one Son and have been engaged to my partner of 12 years. I was born in Rochdale, Lancashire to a typical working class family, joined the Army at 19, served for 12 years and I am a Gulf War veteran. I am lucky to have seen many of life’s facets from a frugal upbringing, to serving my country to the benefits of running a successful business. Out of work I am a keen scuba diver and family man. I would be delighted to meet you personally to introduce ourselves properly.

I am running because three years after we voted to leave the EU, the UK has not left the EU.

Our elected MP’s who serve us the voters consistently ignore the democratic result of the referendum by delaying, stalling and doing anything possible as they do not want to leave, thus denying the will of the people.

May's withdrawal agreement re-heated as Boris’ new EU ‘UK colonisation treaty’ is not what we voted leave for and will tie our hands for decades to come.

Christian Peoples Alliance – Deborah Longe

I am standing in Walthamstow because, growing up and studying in a deprived area in east London has allowed me to understand the problems we all face.

I have always had a passion for law, politics and changing policy and in 2016 wrote a law report with Big Voice London for law reform in policy concerning hate crime.

I am now training to be a lawyer and was shortlisted for the Future Legal Mind in 2019.

I am part of the music team at my church and I participate in ballet and contemporary dance, having a strong interest in acting.

I have been chosen for such a time as this to be the voice for the voiceless, the unborn.

My party has five key pledges:

Uphold democracy and leave the EU as soon as possible.

Support marriage and the family. Give a grant of £12,000 when people get married for the first time back up with training and support and also £6,000 when they have their first child so it’s foolish not to get married and have children afterwards.

Protect the unborn. We would take steps to greatly reduce abortion with the aim of getting rid of it entirely over time.

Make tax fair and help the poor. We would introduce a turnover tax of 5 per cent targeted at overseas companies like Google, Facebook, Amazon Microsoft etc. We would use some of the estimated £32bn proceeds to restore the £12bn cuts to benefits to make Universal credit work and guarantee a night shelter for everyone sleeping rough.

Fight crime. We will help and support people leaving prison. Reoffending rates average 30 per cent but can be as high as 62 per cent. These schemes have got them below 10 per cent which means fewer victims. We will also create more youth activities.