The candidates running for The Cotswolds constituency in the May 7 2015 General Election
Conservative candidate for The Cotswolds & current MP
‘Geoffrey was the Member of Parliament for Cirencester & Tewkesbury from 1992-1997, and has been the Member for the Cotswolds since 1997 following changes made by the Boundary Commission.
Since becoming a Member of Parliament Geoffrey has campaigned tirelessly on a huge range of issues reflecting the diversity of concerns across such a large constituency. Examples include the successful opening of the Brockworth bypass, ensuring the retention and enhancement of Cirencester Hospital, lobbying for funding for the redoubling of the North Cotswolds line which was received in 2008, and dealing with the after effects of the 2007 flooding.
As a fellow farmer and countryman Geoffrey has always fought hard for the farming community and to protect the unique natural beauty and needs of the Cotswolds from misunderstanding by urban centric Governments.’
Liberal Democrats candidate for The Cotswolds
‘Paul Hodgkinson has lived in the Cotswolds for 25 years.
He is standing for Parliament as the voice for the many who feel disconnected from decisions made in Cirencester and at Shire Hall in Gloucester.
Paul is tackling the cost of living in the area, working to sort out transport problems and protecting the unique character of the district.
He believes that the Cotswolds needs someone as MP who can take their case to Parliament and get some action. He is backing residents who feel it is shameful that the incumbent Tory MP has done little to address the Cotswolds’ suffering from some of the highest rural house prices and lowest wages in the country.’
Labour Party candidate for The Cotswolds
‘Manjinder, 27 is a Trainee Solicitor and is due to qualify as a Solicitor in early February 2015. He studied for his undergraduate law degree and post-graduate in Nottingham. Later worked for a well-established law firm in the South-West during which he represented and robustly protected the interests of his clients.
He is passionate about educational and youth policies along with ensuring that Legal Aid is available to those who face difficult financial situations. He takes issue with the thought that hard-working citizens contribute towards such schemes by payment of tax, and then find they are ineligible for Legal Aid and faced with the difficulty in paying legal fees privately. He believes that the younger generation is our future and imposing high tuition fees is not the way forward to inspire and encourage young people to pursue their desired careers.’
Green Party candidate for The Cotswolds
‘Penny Burgess is standing for The Cotswolds Parliamentary Constituency and is one of a full slate of candidates standing in Gloucestershire for the Green Party,
Penny was born in Cirencester, went to Deer Park School and has worked most of her life in Cirencester. She was manager of the Abbey National in the Market place for some time and now works for Ecotricity in Stroud.
Penny feels passionate about many issues which affect the people of The Cotswolds, and believes the Green Party has the policies which will make our country a place that is governed for the Common Good, not just for the wealthy few.
Penny cares passionately about affordable housing, fighting fracking and supporting renewable energy, reforming the voting system and not demonising or scapegoating immigrants or those vulnerable people who are dependent on benefits.’
Conservative candidate for The Cotswolds
‘Chris Harlow is UKIP’s Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for The Cotswolds constituency. Born in Luton, Bedfordshire, Chris attended Luton Grammar School and then Lancaster University where he read History and Politics. Chris has lived in the Cotswolds for over twelve years, and knows the area well.
Chris has been a member of Round Table and Lions, and was a school governor for four years. As well as his interest in politics, Chris enjoys travel, and has travelled extensively throughout Britain, Europe and North America. He is married with adult children, and an increasing number of grandchildren.
He is motivated to represent UKIP by his faith in Britain, his wish to restore Britain’s democratic values, and his view that all of our citizens deserve better representation by our politicians. He is particularly interested in economics, transport and education policy.’
