WITH the general election less than a month away, here is the full list of candidates wanting your vote in Basingstoke.
As the country heads to the polls, residents of Basingstoke have a choice of six candidates to cast their vote for.
The seat is currently occupied by Dame Maria Miller, who has represented the constituency since 2005.
The former culture secretary is being contested by Luke Murphy (Labour), Raymond Saint (Reform UK), Michael Howard-Sorrell (Green Party), Alan Harvey Stone (Hampshire Independents) and Richard Whelan (Liberal Democrats).
READ MORE: Column by Conservative Parliamentary candidate Maria Miller
Who are the candidates?
Dame Maria Miller - Conservative
Former cabinet minister Maria Miller has been Basingstoke's member of parliament since 2005.
Before entering Parliament, Maria worked for 20 years in marketing, including board-level experience. On becoming a Member of Parliament, Maria was appointed to the Trade and Industry Select Committee.
David Cameron appointed her as Shadow Minister for Education in December 2005, then Shadow Minister for Family Welfare in the Department for Work and Pensions in November 2006. Maria moved back to the Education team as Shadow Minister for the Family in July 2007 and remained in post until the 2010 General Election.
Dame Maria was appointed Minister for Disabled People at the Department for Work and Pensions in the Coalition Government in May 2010 and was promoted to Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, and Minister for Women and Equalities, from September 2012 to April 2014.
Luke Murphy - Labour
Luke Murphy, who previously served as a political advisor for members of the Shadow Cabinet during Ed Miliband’s leadership, was selected by members of the party in a hustings meeting held on Tuesday, February 20.
His policies include ending long waits for GP appointments, and fixing public services in the town.
Mr Murphy said: "It’s a privilege to be chosen as Labour’s parliamentary candidate for Basingstoke.
"Knocking on doors and speaking to voters across Basingstoke it’s clear how much people feel let down by the Tories.
"Whether it’s long waits for GP appointments, crumbling public services, or families struggling to make ends meet, for too many it feels like nothing works and that Basingstoke has been neglected."
READ MORE about Luke Murphy here
Raymond Saint - Reform UK
A former plumber and teacher at BCoT, Raymond Saint is Reform UK's candidate in Basingstoke, whose policies include securing borders, reforming the health service and reducing the size of government.
Mr Saint said: "I would regard myself as conservative and always voted accordingly but unfortunately during the last few years I find myself politically homeless as the party has completely lost its way and in my opinion can no longer be regarded as conservative.
"After 13 years of this government the country seems to be completely broken and no one in the administration appears to have a clue how to fix the problems.
"This is the reason I decided to join the Reform Party in the hope that together we can try to bring the country back to some kind of normality."
READ MORE about Raymond Saint here
Michael Howard-Sorrell - Green Party
Michael Howard-Sorrell has been selected as the prospective parliamentary candidate for the Green Party to stand in the next general election on Thursday, July 4.
Howard-Sorrell has lived in Basingstoke for seven years and has been a Borough councillor for Brookvale and Kings Furlong since 2021, successfully securing re-election with an increased vote share in 2022. Currently, he sits alongside local independents as part of the ruling group on the borough council.
Mr Howard-Sorrell said: "I am pleased to have been selected to contest the general election for the Green Party in a constituency where I’ve lived for most of my working life.
"I originally involved myself in local politics as a way to lessen my own fears about what the future looked like. There’s an almost endless list of reasons for young people to have little faith that the future will get better, climate change being chief among them. My hope is that people locally will see my candidacy as a small step towards building a world that works for everyone, not just the fortunate few at the top."
READ MORE about Michael Howard-Sorrell here
Alan Harvey Stone - Hampshire Independents
Alan Harvey Stone is a Hampshire Independents candidate in the Basingstoke constituency. His policies include improving doctors surgeries, schools and sport and leisure facilities in the town.
Mr Stone said: "It’s time to stand up for what is right. For too long now, the ruling party in Hampshire has ignored the needs of people already living here.
"The large-scale housing developments planned are going to cause even more sewage and environmental problems. We need more doctors surgeries, more schools, more sports and leisure facilities and more security of employment, long before new families move into Basingstoke.
"The current Conservative plan for tens of thousands of new homes in Basingstoke has to be questioned. High-density housing in town centres has always caused problems."
Richard Whelan - Liberal Democrats
Richard Whelan, 47, brings a long history of dedication to the party, having been a member since age 14 and actively campaigning from the outset.
Mr Whelan first got involved with campaigning almost immediately when he got in touch, and worked, with his then local Liberal Democrat councillor on a campaign aimed at installing traffic lights at a notorious accident black spot near Leeds/Bradford Airport; about a mile from where he lived at the time.
Having caught the campaigning bug he proceeded to work alongside his then Leeds North West local party by recruiting new members and activists, and assisting with fundraising efforts, all of which contributed to winning the constituency at the 2005 general election.
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