Forum Topic

General Election hustings

The Churchfield Community Association (CCA) is hosting a General Election hustings at Acton town hall on Wednesday 29 April at 7.30pm. 5 parliamentary candidates have agreed to take part, from the Conservatives, Labour, Lib Dems, UKIP and the Greens. All welcome, it should be an interesting event.

Chris Hurley ● 4179d37 Comments

I too was one of the minority who were undecided. I'd also been to the WARA Hustings and had begun to narrow the choice down but wanted to see and hear more.  I was disappointed, for the second time, with Rupa Huq, Labour. I am not in alignment with many of the Labour policies but wanted to see which candidate would represent me best. The Labour candidate didn't come across as confident or grounded, was easily thrown (which happened at WARA too) and seemed to take things personally, which made me recoil from her. I also don't like to be told I only have two tea choices, which she told the audience in both locations. I also don't like to see candidates throwing stones at the others...win the race on your own merit, please. I liked Jon Ball - he's a very good Councillor, but I don't agree with Lib Dems on many policies. Green candidates, Tom, seemed very good, as did, the UKIP guy who expressed himself well and not thrown like the Labour candidate. Angie Bray, Tory, came across as solid, grounded and she has done lots,already for Acton. Just mulling over what I heard and saw with party manifestos....nearly decided!

Angela White ● 4150d

The Independent Jonathan Notley, did some filming and has posted some already on youtube he says:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYMecgztQS54euYNS_DeeiQI thought Tom Sharman, the Green Candidate had some footage too - but think it's just the text of his formal parts:http://greentomsharman.tumblr.com/post/117757401449/hustings-speech-to-churchfield-community

Sara Nathan ● 4150d

What an interesting and packed hustings it was last night. Thanks everyone involved in organizing it. I hope that all of you who attended found it as enlightening as I did.As for candidates being well-briefed, well they did say a few things that needed to be corrected as they were wrong or slightly disingenuous. Angie Bray's statement about wind-power was one that wasn't entirely honest. The UK does indeed have the biggest offshore wind capacity in the world, but that was achieved in 2008 under the previous Labour regime when we overtook Denmark and isn't a result of the coalition government's direct policies. I was also the smart-alec who stepped in to tell Jon Ball, the Lib Dem candidate, that he was wrong when he stated that ISDS had been dropped from TTIP negotiations. It hasn't. As reported back in January, the EU has decided not make a decision on whether they will include ISDS in TTIP until the "final round of negotiations", basically delaying any decision from the European side on it. The USA hasn't released a statement regarding ISDS, and most experts and reporters on these negotiations seem to feel that the USA will not allow ISDS to be dropped from TTIP. This could become a real bone of contention between the two sides, so we should keep pressure on our EU representatives to not allow the USA to force the issue.Here's a link for the latest news about this: http://www.euractiv.com/sections/trade-society/isds-decision-delayed-end-ttip-talks-311234I spoke with Mr Ball after the event and had an interesting discussion about this with him. He acknowledged that he was not fully aware of where TTIP negotiations had got to and thanked me for telling him about this development in depth. I have emailed him directly with the same link I have supplied here.Once again, thanks to everyone who organized the hustings. As one of the 30 or so people in the audience who admitted to not being decided I must say that this event gave me real food for thought.

Joseph Jones ● 4150d

I understand it was filmed by FranceTV.  Don't ask.

Anne Brown ● 4150d

Was the event filmed and if so will it be available on YouTube??

Patrick OBrien ● 4150d

I don't think there is a larger room there. As the event was so well attended, we might have to look for somewhere larger next time - maybe a school hall? If anyone knows of anywhere please let us know. We have the Mayoral and GLA elections next year...

Chris Hurley ● 4150d

Given this is a marginal seat with lots of publicity, I really think Everyone Active should have provided a larger room.  When I heard it was "upstairs in the Community Rooms" I knew that was a mistake.  However, it was a fabulous evening with some great contributions and I have to say all our candidates were eloquent and well briefed.

Anne Brown ● 4150d

#Progress - big groups of people obviously have no reson to gather in Acton anymore...Good hustings though. Most atmospheric I have attended. Congratulations to the organisers

Julian Smith ● 4150d

Sorry you couldn't get in... Not really a broom cupboard - Must have had nearly 200 people in there. It's the largest room in the old Town Hall complex - the old chamber is now the library and there isn't anywhere else.

Sara Nathan ● 4150d

Apart from everyone who couldn't get in due to it being in a broom cupboard in the privatised leisure centre's "community rooms" rather than the Town Hall as advertised. But hey who would have guessed...............

William Gray ● 4151d

This is tonight, come early to be sure of a seat

Chris Hurley ● 4151d

Thank you Sara. That sounds like a good compromise, and I hope that they feel able to attend.

Julian Smith ● 4152d

The organisers of the hustings tomorrow night have read representations by two candidates not originally invited to take part.Chris Hurley will be writing to all four candidates from parties not standing in over 50% of the seats in this election. She will be proposing a compromise by which they will each be invited to make a five minute statement after the Conservative, Green, Labour, LibDem and UKIP candidates.  However, the panel will still comprise the five originally invited candidates.We look forward to an interesting and illuminating evening tomorrow.

Sara Nathan ● 4152d

I'm surprised that the Independent candidate Jonathan Notley has been excluded from this Hustings event.I started another thread (perhaps that was a mistake?) but have received no comment from the organisers. So am posting here. The other (main) hustings so far have allowed those candidates who wish to join the panel to do so. They seem to have managed with timings, which I believe is the justification here for limiting it to only the five national parties(?)Not happy about this undemocratic stance, and urge the organisers to reconsider.

Julian Smith ● 4152d

bump- this on Wednesday - come early to be sure of a seat

Chris Hurley ● 4154d

So it will start with each of the five candidates giving a short address - around five minutes I think we are expecting.(order drawn by lot)Then we will ask for questions from the floor - which I will try to group a bit - and get replies in turn. We have not asked people to put in questions in advance. I'm sure there will be both local and national issues.Finishing with a reverse order summing up.That should fill two hours nicely.

Sara Nathan ● 4157d

Just when we were wondering why we weren't been canvassed as we are such so marginal the labour candidate herself came and canvassed and was lovely and very persuassive.Does anyone know what the format is for the hustings.  can one ask questions and respond the replies?

Lucy Gray ● 4157d

Must say I've received far more Labour literature than other parties on Avenue Road on a frequent basis leading up the election.I even had a Labour canvasser knock on my door the other day. Quite surprisingly when I mentioned I was still undecided, she didn't make much of an attempt to persuade me otherwise & simply smiled politely & handed me a leaflet to read.

Neelesh Banerjee ● 4157d

The big committee rooms - 4 & 5 on the second floor. there will be signs (at least I hope there will but my printer has died AGAIN!)

Sara Nathan ● 4157d

Where exactly in Acton Town Hall?

ShaoYing BenNathan ● 4158d

This is next week, and is likely to be busy, so come early to be sure of a seat

Chris Hurley ● 4159d

Rupa Huq all the way for me and my family

Diana Oneill ● 4167d

I think Angie is doing four across the constituency. She thinks that they are mostly attended by activists and people who know how they are going to vote. But responses at Playing Out, at the beauty salon etc suggests the genuine undecided are thinking Of coming - and the younger voter...which is excellent news.

Sara Nathan ● 4168d

The full list of candidates:Nominations for Ealing Central and Acton SeatJon BALL - Lib DemsAngie BRAY - ConservativesScott DORE - Workers Revolutionary PartyPeter FLORENCE - UK Independence Party (UKIP)Rupa HUQ - LabourJonatha NOTLEY - IndependentTammy RENDLE - The Above and Beyond PartyAndrzej RYGIELSKI - Europeans PartyTom SHARMAN - The Green party

Chris Hurley ● 4168d

Found out yesterday that the WEst London Uni are holding a hustings event the day before ours in Acton.  All the candidates are taking part, except Angie Bray. The students were most disappointed that she wasn't participating in their event, so some may come to ours.

Chris Hurley ● 4168d

Article about the Ealing hustings: http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/news/west-london-news/parliamentary-candidates-ealing-acton-go-9006487

Chris Hurley ● 4170d

Thanks Rupa!I think we will stick with the five then.Will hunt out ITV piece. Odd they were the same night.

Sara Nathan ● 4170d

There are 9 in total. Constituency was also on ITV "London Tonight" at same time as BBC news. Clips of both at https://www.facebook.com/rupa4labour?fref=nf

Rupa Huq ● 4170d

How many have we got?More than six?

Sara Nathan ● 4170d

Today is the deadline for all candidates papers to be lodged with the local authority. The full list of candidates should be published tomorrow.

Chris Hurley ● 4171d

I have received no election literature from The Lib Dems so far. loads of bumph from Labour and Tory. Even Workers Revolutionary Party.

Tony Crumpton ● 4171d

So interesting that a letter arrived last night from David Cameron himself ! Just a mailshot. Looking forward to the hustings

Sue Buchan ● 4172d

Here's a link to the BBC piece and article. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-32174174?SThisFB&fb_ref=DefaultIt appears we are 1 of the 20 most critical seats so it's really important not just to vote but to know why we are voting and what for.Hence the hustings. Do come!

Sara Nathan ● 4172d

Yes I saw the item on Ealing Central and Acton and am sure I recognised one of the mums taking part...Was out last night, watching Suites Francais which I really enjoyed, so missed the leaders debate. Have recorded it to watch later, how sad am I!

Chris Hurley ● 4177d

Feature on our seat on BBC local news tonight. Cos we are a key marginal.But after leaders debate, why can't we vote for Nicola Sturgeon then?

Sara Nathan ● 4177d

Well come and hear what the UKIP candidate has to say then - and what the others say to rebut him for that matter.He's the one I know least about.

Sara Nathan ● 4178d

UKIP for me & my family all the way we need to exit EU to end the insane rules they are trying to impose on us ASAP!

Peter M Jones ● 4179d