Another Set of Questions

by Tom Rogers

I ended up sending 35 questions to local candidates. Here they are:

QUESTIONS TO CANDIDATES

1. Which of these five do you believe a Member of Parliament should put first: moral conscience, nation, country, constituency or party? You can only select one (there is no absolutely right or wrong answer).

2. Please explain your answer to 1.

3. Do you believe in God?

4. Do you support the British Monarchy?

5. Overall, do you accept that the state too big and too interfering in people’s private lives?

6. Should the D-Day veterans regret their actions?

7. Who matters most – engineers, medical doctors or entrepreneurs?

8. If you don’t live or work in the constituency, why are you standing here? If you do live or work in the constituency, why didn’t you stand before now?

9. In your view, what should be the Number One local priority for our new Member of Parliament?

10. What arrangements will you make for constituency surgeries? How often will surgeries be held in the constituency and where? Will you hold open surgeries?

11. Rail fares are now expensive. What do you propose should be done to improve the situation for passengers?

12. In my opinion, cycling infrastructure in the constituency is poor. I appreciate this is a local competency, but as the Member of Parliament, would you support improvements, and if so, what would you do to encourage action by the local authority?

13. In your assessment, how has Brexit affected the constituency and the region? Please include both positive and negative consequences/ramifications.

14. If a realistic proposal were put forward to reverse Brexit in some way, would you support or oppose it?

15. Please explain your answer to 14.

16. If I want to get high, why should the law stop me?

17. Does Britain still need a strategic nuclear deterrent?

18. In what ways do you think Britain has benefitted from the domestication of the European Convention on Human Rights into our laws in 1998?

19. Do you think 16-year-olds should have the vote?

20. Which should come first: that the police reflect the community they serve or are effective in impartially policing the community they serve?

21. Should schools base their curricula on the needs and requirements of employers?

22. In the long run, is it better for young people to pass or fail their school exams?

23. Do you think prisons should be abolished? If ‘Yes’, what would you replace them with?

24. Should the death penalty be permitted for murder?

25. Do you think it is better in general for NHS management to be lay or clinically qualified?

26. Do you support the local devolution proposals?

27. Irrespective of your answer to 26, if the proposed devolution scheme is approved, what plans do you have to contribute to the new arrangements as a Member of Parliament?

28. If you are elected to Parliament, will you vote in favour of continued British support for the Ukraine in its armed conflict with Russia?

29. If your answer to 28 is Yes, could you explain how intervention in this conflict is in the national interest.

30. Do you believe that the white British people have a right to their own country?

31. Do you support an end to mass immigration?

32. If your answer to 31 is No, could you explain how mass immigration benefits the country?

33. Did you support the lockdown and mandatory wearing of masks against Covid-19?

34. Were you vaccinated against Covid-19?

35. I usually spoil my ballot paper as it’s rare that any candidate is electorally suitable. What can you say to change my mind this time?