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York General Election 2019 – Live

 
 
Chronicling the campaign in York Central and York Outer
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What York’s winners said

Rachael Maskell after her York Central win in the December election. Photograph: YorkMix

After winning York Central, Labour’s Rachael Maskell said:

  • Although disappointed bitterly by the results I see across the nation, because we come into politics to make a difference for people, I vow that I will continue to fight for my constituents with every bone in my body to ensure that their lives improve here in York now and in the future.

Julian Sturdy at the winner’s podium, Photograph: City of York Council

In his speech after retaining York Outer, Julian Sturdy said:

  • We have to make sure that, here in York, we build on our local successes.

    I want to make sure that we continue to build on the infrastructure projects we’ve delivered, make sure we deliver on the A64.

Johnson romps home with ‘powerful new mandate to get Brexit done’

Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire

Boris Johnson hailed his “powerful new mandate to get Brexit done” as his party romped to victory in the 2019 General Election, writes the Press Association.

The Tory landslide prompted Jeremy Corbyn to announce he will not lead Labour into another election after his party suffered humiliation.

Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson also lost her seat to the SNP, who made further inroads in Scotland.

But the big winner was Mr Johnson as the Tories won seat after seat in Labour’s heartlands.

With over 600 seats declared, the PA news agency was predicting a Tory majority of 76.

Mr Corbyn admitted it had been a “very disappointing” night.

The anti-war campaigner, who has represented Islington North since 1983, ran as an outside candidate for the party leadership in 2015 and managed to outlast two Tory prime ministers.


But facing his second General Election defeat, Mr Corbyn said that he would call it a day as leader as he was re-elected in his London seat.

He said he would discuss with the party how to ensure there was a “process of reflection “.

“I will lead the party during this period to ensure this discussion takes place.”

The mood at Mr Johnson’s count was much more upbeat as he declared: “It does look as though this One Nation Conservative government has been given a powerful new mandate to get Brexit done.”

He added: “Above all I want to thank the people of this country for turning out to vote in a December election that we didn’t want to call but which I think has turned out to be a historic election that gives us now, in this new government, the chance to respect the democratic will of the British people to change this country for the better and to unleash the potential of the entire people of this country.

“And that is what we will now do, and if we are lucky enough to be returned, as the exit polls seem to suggest, then that work will begin tomorrow… or as I should say, not tomorrow, today!”

Mr Corbyn’s party, which had 243 MPs when Parliament was dissolved last month, was heading for its worst result since 1935 after support crumbled in its so-called ‘red wall’ of formerly safe seats across the north, the Midlands and Wales.

Some pictures from the count

Photograph: City of York Council

The York Outer results chart

The York Central votes chart

Result: Julian Sturdy holds York Outer

He’s still the only person to ever represent York Outer. Julian Sturdy retains the seat for the Conservatives, after first being elected to the seat when it was first created in 2010.

Keith Aspden (Lib Dem) 9,992
Scott Marmion (Ind) 692
Anna Perrett (Labour) 17,339
Julian Sturdy (Con) 27,324

Result: Rachael Maskell holds York Central

York Central is a Labour hold.

Rachael Maskell has held the seat.

More Yorkshire results

Here’s more Yorkshire results, via Battle For Yorkshire.

Labour holds Doncaster North and Doncaster Central – reduced majorities in both cases.

Greg Knight increases his majority and holds Yorkshire East for the Conservatives – 33,988 votes tonight aginst 31,442 in 2017

Jeremy Corbyn to go – but not yet

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn speaks after he retained his Islington North Photograph: Joe Giddens/PA Wire

After being returned as MP for Islington North, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has described the 2019 General Election outcome as “very disappointing” and said he will not lead the party in any future election campaign.

But he says a discussion will take place as to what happens next.

 

Results from elsewhere in Yorkshire

Here’s a round-up of other recent Yorkshire results, via the ‘Battle For Yorkshire’ blog on The Yorkie:

Karl Turner hangs onto John Prescott’s old Hull East seat for Labour – with a much-reduced majority. Down from 21,355 to 12,713.

Labour holds Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough with a majority of 22,369 against 28,193 in 2017

In Leeds East, Fabian Hamilton holds the seat for Labour, but with his majority slashed from 33,436 in to 2017 to 19,464

The Conservatives hold Scarborough and Whitby – with an increased majority for Robert Goodwill

Labour holds Rotherham but, as we’re seeing elsewhere, with a reduced majority – down from 21,404 in 2017 to 14,736 tonight

David Davis holds onto Haltemprice and Howden and his hefty majority – but arrives too late to hear the announcement.

A Conservative hold for Harrogate and Knaresborough. Andrew Jones has had his 31,477 majority reduced a tad to 29,962 but still a very safe seat for the Conservatives.

Recap: How York Outer voted in 2017

In York Outer in 2017 there was a turnout of 76% (57,573 votes cast). This was the result:

Recap: How York Central voted in 2017

We could still be an hour away from the results here in York. So here’s a good chance to recall how the city voted at the last general election in 2017.

In York Central, on a 69% turnout (total votes 53,301), this was the result:

Video – Green Party’s Tom Franklin: ‘I am extremely worried for the future of the country’

Tom Franklin, the Green Party candidate for York Central, didn’t mince his words in this interview with York St John University’s April Coward and Victoria Cotton.

Of the prospect of a Conservative majority government headed by Boris Johnson, he said:

  • I am extremely worried for the future of the country.

    We’re in a climate emergency and the Conservative Party is not taking it seriously – and we’re in severe danger of not meeting any of our international targets…

    Brexit is going to be a disaster in itself, but the climate emergency is going to make that look like chicken feed.

More from Chloe on the political beat

Local democracy reporter Chloe Laversuch has been gauging more responses around the count.

Video: Keith Aspden – People felt revoke policy ‘didn’t give them a chance to engage in debate’

City of York Council leader and Liberal Democrat candidate for York Outer Keith Aspden has given his first reaction of the unfolding election results.

He said it was pretty clear that we were heading for a “pretty big Conservative majority”.

“For me that means the Conservatives have an awful lot to live up to, particularly for investment in places like York, Yorkshire and the North.”

He said the exit polls were showing the Lib Dems gaining one seat and an increase in their share of the vote – “it’s a step forward”.


Was the policy commitment to revoke Article 50 and stop Brexit a mistake?

  • On the doorstep a lot of people were saying they felt that simply saying we would revoke didn’t give people an opportunity to engage in that debate.

    Of course that policy was only if we got a majority government, and of course we were not going to get a majority government. We always were campaigning for a people’s vote to remain.

On the Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson he noted that she was in danger of losing her Dunbartonshire East seat.

  • For any new Liberal Democrat leader it invariably takes quite a few elections for them to establish themselves.

Turnout for York Outer much higher than York Central

Turnout in the York Outer constituency is much higher than in York Central – 74.44%.

There were 55,588 votes cast from an electorate of 74,673.

That’s in line with 2017 when the York Outer turnout was 75%.

But it is far higher than in York Central at 66.38%.

This from City of York Council give the turnout from 2017 as a comparison:

York Central turnout announced

The York Central turnout has just been announced by acting returning officer Ian Floyd – it was 66.38%.

The number of ballot papers is 49,717 from a total electorate of 74,899.

‘People wanted to get Brexit done’

York local democracy reporter Chloe Laversuch has been gauging reaction from politicians at the count.

Video: Julian Sturdy – ‘I’ve got a big smile on my face’

Conservative Julian Sturdy, fighting to retain his York Outer seat, has told YorkMix of his reaction to the exit poll, predicting a healthy Conservative majority.

He said:

  • I’ve got a big smile on my face. Early days I would say, but at the moment the first few results we’ve seen come in – Blyth Valley as one that’s just swung our way which is fantastic news, and looking about a ten per cent swing from Labour – if that continues through the night then the exit polls are going to be about spot on.


He said Brexit was a key issue – people wanting to get Brexit over had come up on the doorstep.

“And Boris Johnson has cut through parts of the north where, previous Conservative leaders haven’t”.

In the campaign for York Outer, Mr Sturdy said:

  • Certainly early on the Lib Dems have pushed hard – they’ve put a lot of literature through the letterboxes – those residents of York Outer will be nodding in agreement I’m sure of that.

    But what I found most striking – and what we’ve tried to do in our campaign is make sure we’re out on the doorstep talking to people.

Early York Twitter reaction

Here are some reactions from the frontline today. This from the independent candidate for York Outer, Scott Marmion:

This from York For Europe, who tried a ‘vote swap’ between the Lib Dems and Labour in York Outer and Harrogate:

This from Andrew Dunn, SDP candidate for York Outer:

Students cover the election across Yorkshire

Victoria Cotton and April Coward, third year journalism students at York St John University at the election count

Around 70 Journalism and Media Production students and staff from York St John University are gearing up to cover the General Election this week, producing through-the-night programming under the banner ‘The Battle for Yorkshire’.

The mammoth operation will be the biggest news challenge the team has ever faced and will include producing TV and radio programmes pre- and post- election and a through-the-night live news feed as results come in.

All the content will be available to watch online through The Yorkie, the public-facing news website produced by our journalism students, and shared with local and national media through BJTC (Broadcast Journalism Training Council) media partners.

Student journalists will be reporting from vote counts in York and Hull, and picking up other Yorkshire results as they’re announced.

Sue Greenwood, Associate Head: Production in the School of the Arts, is leading the operation and said: “The enthusiasm of students and staff wanting to get involved is extraordinary.

“This is the busiest week of the semester for everyone but here they are – taking on extra work and pitching in to cover three production shifts. I think our students especially realise how important this election is and that this may be a one-off opportunity for them to be at the heart of reporting on it.”

We’re working together with YSJ students – including April Coward and Victoria Cotton, who are covering the York count, and will be including some of their reports on our blog.

Video: Rachael Maskell reacts to the exit poll

The exit poll is predicting a thumping 86 seat majority for the Conservatives.

Rachael Maskell, the Labour candidate for York Central, says it looks like a bad day for the Labour Party.

She said a Conservative government wasn’t going to address the problems facing York.

  • I’ll continue, as I have been doing over the past four and a half years fighting for the people of this city, making sure that they have a real voice in their futures and the future of politics.

    And within the Labour Party I’ll make sure their voice is amplified, but also within Parliament.

Did the exit poll surprise her? “Obviously for quite some time I’ve been worried by the impact of populism and the way that’s been playing, and the media messaging as well.”

What does she feel about Jeremy Corbyn’s position as leader?

  • I don’t think any rash decisions should be taken. What’s really important is to do the analysis first.

    But clearly if we are as a party going to move into a new era we’re going to have to think who is the right person to take us into that era.

    I don’t want to make any speculations tonight, I don’t think that’s appropriate. But we’ve got to get this right.

The first ballot boxes have arrived at the York count

The first ballot boxes arrive. Photograph: YorkMix

The count is underway at Election 19 in York.

The first ballot boxes arrived at Energise leisure centre on Cornlands Road shortly after the polls closed at 10pm.

We have been told to expect the results at around 4am.

York goes to the polls in first winter election for nearly a century

And they're off… the polling station on Monkgate, York, this morning. Photograph: YorkMix

York is going to the polls in Britain’s third general election in five years.

In York, 560 staff will be helping across the city to open 128 polling stations and count the votes cast throughout the day.

With more than 150,000 residents eligible to vote across York’s two constituencies it promises to be a busy day.

Residents can only vote in person at their designated polling station on election day, during opening hours. Polling stations opened at 7am and will close at 10pm.


All the candidates standing can be found here.

The outcome is uncertain in a very unusual election – the first winter poll in nearly a century, and one called against the backdrop of Brexit.

Turnout could well be a factor, and might be influenced by the weather. In York we are in for a cold day with rain later.

A poll by The Daily Telegraph and Savanta ComRes, published on Wednesday night, placed the Tories five points ahead of Mr Corbyn’s party – indicating the potential for a Conservative majority or a hung parliament.

But a separate poll by Kantar put the Tories on 44%, Labour on 32% and the Liberal Democrats on 13%.

You can see more details about this election on the City of York Council website.

Campaigners launch ‘vote swap’ to back Labour in York Outer (but prominent Lib Dem condemns ‘fake news’)

The coalition outside York Minster. Photographs: Richard McDougall

On a day when ‘tactical voting’ has been trending on Twitter, pro-EU campaigners have organised a vote swap.

Labour and Liberal Democratic supporters in two of Yorkshire’s key election battlegrounds came together to form a voters’ alliance against Boris Johnson’s Conservatives.

In a pact put forward by York For Europe and North Yorkshire For Europe, Liberal Democrats in Outer York have promised to vote Labour to help unseat Tory MP Julian Sturdy.

They are ‘combining their voting power’
Meanwhile Labour voters in Harrogate & Knaresborough have promised to vote Liberal Democrat to defeat Tory MP Andrew Jones.

Martin Brooks, chair of York for Europe, said:

  • Our Labour and Lib Dem supporters are becoming increasingly frustrated over the sniping that’s been going on at a leadership level between the two parties.

    They all agree that a Boris Johnson majority would be an unmitigated disaster but by fighting each other, they are greatly increasing the chances of the Tories getting in.

    This is a very simple solution to the muddle we find ourselves in: Rather than wasting energy fighting each other it makes much more sense to combine our voting power to unseat the sitting Tory MP.

But LibDemnewsview on Twitter – an account that links back to the blog of former Lib Dem council leader Steve Galloway – hit back saying it was ‘desperate fake news’.

Watch: Hustings video goes live

We liveblogged the York election hustings at Bootham School on Monday night – you can read all our coverage here.

Now Bootham School have put their video of the evening live. The candidates who debated were all for York Central:

  • James Blanchard, Liberal Democrats
  • Andrew Dunn, SDP
  • Tom Franklin, Green
  • Rachael Maskell, Labour
  • Andrew Snedden, Yorkshire Party
  • Nicholas Szkiler, Brexit Party
  • Fabia Tate, Conservative Party

Here’s the film. Enjoy!

Pledge on new station for Haxby

Lord Shipley, Honorary Alderman Ann Reid, Councillor Keith Aspden & Councillor Ed Pearson at the level crossing in Haxby, by the site of the former station

Keith Aspden has said a new railway station for Haxby could be on the cards if the Liberal Democrats win the election.

The York Outer Lib Dem candidate was joined on the campaign trail yesterday by Lord John Shipley, the party’s spokesperson for communities, decentralisation and the northern powerhouse.

During the visit, Mr Aspden promoted the party’s pledge to create a £50 billion regional growth fund.

He said:

  • For far too long, residents in York have seen our city miss out on millions of pounds of investment.

    The communities and villages of York Outer deserve better and looking forward, it is vital that we are not left at the back of the queue.

    That is why the Liberal Democrats are prioritising an ambitious £50 billion regional growth fund, which will be used to invest in sustainable transport initiatives across our region, including the possibility of a new rail station in Haxby.

Catch up with the Bootham hustings

If you want to read our live blog of the hustings at Bootham School, you’ll find it all here.

BBC Question Time at University of York – Key points

While we were watching York’s candidates debate in the local hustings some senior politicians slugged it out in the BBC Question Time Election Special – Under 30s debate at the University of York tonight.

The panel was:

Labour’s shadow education secretary Angela Rayner
SNP and Scotland’s justice secretary Humza Yousaf
Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson
Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price
Green Party leader Jonathan Bartley
Brexit Party co-leader Nigel Farage
Tories’ housing secretary Robert Jenrick

You can watch the whole thing on the BBC iPlayer here.

Here’s a summary of the debate summarised from the BBC’s own coverage.

  • Nigel Farage revealed he will spoil his ballot paper on Thursday. In his constituency, the Brexit Party – the party he leads – isn’t standing, and he won’t vote Conservative.
  • The Green Party’s Jonathan Bartley said the electoral system was “broken”, while Mr Farage and Labour’s Angela Rayner agreed that they both want to abolish the House of Lords. Jo Swinson said she’d love to have a system where people don’t feel they need to vote tactically
  • Brexit – The Conservatives’ Robert Jenrick refused to take any responsibility for the “mess” of Brexit over the last few years, while Labour’s Ms Rayner did not say whether she would back Leave or Remain in any new referendum, saying she wants to see what deal her party negotiates
  • Jo Swinson was pushed on whether opposing Brexit and wanting another vote is undemocratic – but she said she was “not going to change my beliefs”. Mr Farage accused the Lib Dems for breaking their word, after ex-leader Paddy Ashdown promised to respect the referendum result. And Plaid Cymru’s Adam Price – whose party also wants another referendum – was asked what evidence he has that people in Wales have changed their mind. “The opinion polls show a shift,” he said
  • Climate change – The Conservatives’ Robert Jenrick says it’s unlikely there would be state intervention to stop people from eating meat but the government had done a “huge amount” on climate change. Ms Swinson got a clap for saying to Mr Jenrick: “You literally abolished the department for climate change.”

The exit poll: How have the audience changed their minds?

Our moderator, Bootham School head teacher Chris Jeffery – who has done an excellent job of chairing the debate – thanks the candidates for the impressive way they have conducted the debate, which others nationally could learn from.

And he thanks all the people at Bootham School who have done such a brilliant job of hosting the debate, including the polls and multi media elements – singling out James Ratcliffe who has organised the whole shebang.

And then the closing polls came out. And the clear victor tonight is Andrew Snedden of the Yorkshire Party! Here are the voting intentions of the Bootham School hustings audience…

Question 6: What cabaret act would you do?

What act would you perform in the Bootham School cabaret on Friday if you won the election?

James Blanchard: I would do a song and dance routine based on Guy Fawkes to emphasise the need for more honesty in politics

Andrew Dunn: Considering the SDP have virtually no chance of winning, I think it would have to be a magic act!

Tom Franklin: The only cabaret I ever did was a fund raising version of The Full Monty – and I did a strip!

Rachael Maskell: Our spirits are going to be so high that we are going to have a collective sing to celebrate a Labour victory together. The Red Flag of course

Andrew Snedden: I’d have to do a one-man show of the Four Yorkshireman in an Australian accent.

Nicholas Szkiler: I used to be a DJ – but would quote some poetry about being a moth (which he did impressively from memory).

Fabia Tate: I have learned to stilt walk and fire juggle but I wouldn’t do both at the same time because it would be dangerous.

Question 5: Are all the set-aside arrangements in this election undermining democracy?

A one-word answer is required. James, Andrew and Fabia all said PR – proportional representation was the answer. Rachael joked Labour is going to win so it doesn’t matter.

Question 4: How will your party solve the nursing recruitment crisis?

From a former nurse: There are 42K nursing vacancies and recruitment is in crisis. How will your party address this?

Andrew Dunn: The SDP is committed to the NHS. We want to commit to training more nurses in this country, and to allow people to be a nurse without a degree.

Rachael Maskell: I spent 20 years working in the NHS and it breaks my heart to see it going back 20 years. It won’t just be solved by throwing money at it. We need to improve public health. Investing in education is very important. With the cuts in nursing bursaries we’ve seen a downturn in applications. We need to reverse that. We need proper workforce planning across the health service, they do it in Scotland and it works – we need to do the same in the rest of the country.

James Blanchard: I also work in the NHS. The reduction in overseas applications from the EU is crucial. It’s tied in to the cut in bursaries. We will bring in a lifelong skills wallet – money to invest in your training throughout your career. People will change career throughout their working life. There’s also a problem with GP recruitment, many are due to retire in the next few years – then try getting an appointment.

Nicholas Szkiler: With a disabled daughter I am a beneficiary of the NHS and passionately believe in it. We would reopen the nursing profession to people without a degree qualification. One millstone is the Labour initiative of the Private Finance Initiative – those schemes should be bought out. The huge interest rates being paid out on PFI could be invested in nursing bursaries.

Tom Franklin: Retention hasn’t been mentioned and that is hugely important. Allowing people to choose different ways of working might help retention. We want to abolish student fees and cancel existing student debt, which might encourage more people to study nursing.

Fabia Tate: After Brexit we can look beyond the EU to recruit nurses from elsewhere in the world, via an Australian style points system on immigration. Putting more money into the NHS to reduce the burdens on GPs and A&E is important. We need to plan to meet future demands now.

Andrew Snedden: It’s shocking that vital public services have been understaffed by tens of thousands of people. If Yorkshire had its own budget, we would have a much better chance of solving the problem.

Question 3: What are the most important local issues?

What are the local issues for York in this election?

Nicholas Skilzer: Transportation. I go to old cities like ours who have solved it with things like trams so there’s no need to bring your car into the centre. We need to unblock the arteries of the city.

Tom Franklin: We’re losing a lot of jobs, seeing places replaced by hotels, lots of low-paid, zero hours jobs. We need to bring in better jobs, and not just low-paying tourism. How can we have tourists have a more interesting and vital experience, rather than more and more tourists? Mental health provision is poor. And the climate emergency, we are a very low-lying town, most of York is under 10m and will be underwater. We need to solve this problem.

James Blanchard: We need someone to go to Westminster and fight for the money for local schools, to bring our transport system up to scratch, and for health. York Hospital is being run down compared to the big hospitals in Leeds and Middlesbrough. To solve the mental health crisis – that means spending a lot of money, and that’s why we will put a penny on income tax.

Rachael Maskell: The biggest issue is housing. Our social housing stock is being depleted. We have an ambitious programme to build council housing for sale and for rent. I’ve seen families squashed in a single boxroom in York. Also we’ve got to get upstream with the investment, particularly on public health – making sure people stay well for longer. That means investing in youth services. And we need a comprehensive economic strategy for York.

Andrew Snedden: “We want to put a Yorkshire Assembly in York. Somewhere near Clifford’s Tower would be nice.” If we had control of our budgets, local people could spend it wisely where it needs to be spent here. We need to sort out the main traffic arteries, and vehicular access down near the hospital – that’s a nightmare, I live near there. We have this fantastic ancient city centre – if this was France we wouldn’t have vehicles going down there.

Andrew Dunn: Giving mental health the same status as physical health. Tackling homelessness. Some of these things are about getting the national money to deal with it.

Fabia Tate: There are 500 houses in York that haven’t been lived in, they may be second houses. Let’s address that on a local level and stop these spaces being empty. We have some of the highest educated people in York working in Leeds. We have to attract businesses so people from Leeds come to work in York. I would like the city to lead the way on green public transport. We’ve got the Uber software technology, I don’t know why we’re not pushing that into public transport.

Question 3: What global solutions do you propose for the environment?

What will your party do to provide global solutions to environmental problems?

Tom Franklin: We want to increase international aid, a lot of the funding will go to support countries to become carbon neutral. We need to deal with the airline industry and shipping, we need to work with countries like Brazil to protect the Amazon.

Nicholas Szkiler: Most people don’t understand the science. Carbon is not the only issue. Down the road at Drax power station they use biomass – growing trees to burn them – it’s ridiculous. We need innovative solutions to deal with pollution. THere is limitless tidal power available – and it doesn’t generate carbon.

Rachael Maskell: We all need to look at our lifestyles: I try and live the greenest way I possibly can. It’s incredibly arrogant of the UK government to say it will lead the world – we have to work in collaboration with other countries. We have to look at how we work in cooperation with global agreements – that’s the strength of the EU. Climate justice is about everybody’s justice.

James Blanchard: We’ve got to get rid of Brexit because we need to work together on the climate emergency. We are not going to change the world if we retreat to our small island. If we are talking about flights, and manufacturing standards, it matters that we change the world’s playbook, not just Britain’s. We can export green electricity to our neighbours via wind turbines made in Hull – but we need access to European markets to do that.

Andrew Dunn: The SDP document emphasises economic incentives. Britain can be an independent country and still do all it can on a global level, we can still do the same for the environment as if we were in the EU.

Andrew Snedden: We would declare a Yorkshire-wide climate emergency, and ban fracking. We can’t save the planet on our own, but we can provide a moral imperative to get people to join us, we can provide a powerful example to others, and we can use UK soft power to bring pressure to bear on the big emitters. We need to remove household gas boilers and properly insulate our largely Victorian housing stock and plant millions of trees.

Fabia Tate: This is one of the most important issues we are facing, and we can’t face it alone. I don’t think it’s arrogant of Conservatives to say we should be leading the way. We are putting £18bn into research and development, we need to be investing in ways to revolutionise the green market. Developments in battery power and renewables show what can be done. I am pleased that the Conservatives brought in a moratorium on fracking.

Question 2: What will you do to reduce inequality?

Question 2: What will you and your government do to bridge the ever-growing economic equality which is felt across the country?

Rachael Maskell: Labour’s agenda is about addressing the huge inequality. York is the most inequitable city outside London. “We have to mend that divide.”

To do that you need properly paid, secure jobs; properly funded public services; “we have the fourth worst funded schools in the country”. We need the right investment in the right places.

Fabia Tate: we’re the party of working people, the party of aspiration. We’ll increase the minimum wage, support business to create more jobs, and are looking at schooling to introduce more vocational T-levels.

There will be 250K more affordable homes built in the next four years.

James Blanchard: We have a massively imbalanced economy – it’s a problem with our capital city, London. London gets far more money spent on its schools and public transport. Lib Dems argue for regional devolution, not just for Yorkshire but for every region.

Andrew Snedden: There’s a huge difference between those who are doing well and those who are not doing well. There’s a massive London and the rest divide.

Andrew Dunn: We want to be compassionate and competitive. We will raise tax funds to eradicate serious social problems like homelessness and improving the NHS.

Tom Franklin: We will introduce Universal Basic Income, to replace among other things the pension and Universal Credit. That would mean everyone has something.

Nicholas Szkiler: North Yorkshire Police are dealing with almost as much time dealing with mental health care as they are with policing issues. Because of underfunding in mental health care we have pushed a problem elsewhere. We need joined up thinking to make progress

Video: The opening remarks

We livestreamed the candidates’ opening remarks on Facebook. Here’s the video

Question 1: Isn’t a second referendum the most democratic thing to do?

This comes from a member of the Bootham School lower sixth. He asks if misinformation in the referendum campaign means a second referendum is necessary.

Fabia Tate: “We need to get Brexit done. There was misinformation on all sides.” She is against a second referendum.

Tom Franklin: “There was serious fraud in the Brexit campaign, so much so that a judge said he would have declared it void.” A second referendum is the only fair way to sort this out.

Nichoals Szkiler: “What was really wanted was reform, because the European Union is seriously undemocratic… The question we were given was simple enough… the decision of the people was to leave.”

James Blanchard quotes former Brexit Secretary David Davis who said if a democracy can’t change its mind, then it’s not a democracy. “We were told we would have the easiest trade deal because we hold all the cards – where is this easy trade deal?”

“This general election has been called because the Prime Minister thinks you’ve changed your minds since 2017. But you can’t possibly have changed your mind since 2016. It’s madness.”

Rachael Maskell begins by asking why the Prime Minister won’t reveal the report on alleged Russian interference in the previous election. “What has he got to hide?”

Brexit would make York poorer, she says, and she’s not going to vote for that. “I will campaign for Remain… our future is best in Europe.”

Andrew Snedden: “I voted remain but we must go… Brexit is as much about social unfairness and the third of our population who have been left behind for decades.”

Cameron “was an idiot” for the referendum. Overturning the vote would be “a disaster for democracy”.

Andrew Dunn: “It is absolutely outrageous that people aren’t respecting a democratic referendum… People in this country have never had a majority for seeing themselves as European citizens,” he said.

The opening polls

They’ve taken a poll of the audience before the debate starts and here are the results. They’ll be polling us again at the end to see how many minds have been changed.

Bear in mind that we were not allowed to offer ‘don’t know’…

We’re live at the York hustings tonight

Live at Bootham School

This is the podium set up for the York election hustings being held at Bootham School tonight.

On the panel are these York Outer candidates:

  • James Blanchard – Liberal Democrats
  • Andrew Dunn – SDP
  • Tom Franklin, Green
  • Rachael Maskell, Labour
  • Andrew Snedden, Yorkshire Party
  • Nicholas Szkiler, Brexit Party
  • Fabia Tate, Conservative Party

The debate should begin soon and we will keep posting regular updates.

This is all the Lib Dem literature delivered to a single York Outer home

The Liberal Democrats bumf delivered to a single Huntington home

At this election, the Liberal Democrats have pledged to plant 60 million trees a year.

That might just about cover the number of trees they are using up to print their election literature.

Pictured above is all the campaign bumf from the Lib Dems sent to one home in York Outer since the campaign began.

There are 13 separate missives, from fully-fledged newspapers to the same letter from candidate Keith Aspden, sent separately to the three adults registered at that address in Huntington.

By contrast Labour and the Conservatives have each posted one leaflet through the letterbox.

The householder told YorkMix:

  • It’s relentless. Every evening I come home to another sight of Keith Aspden or Jo Swinson sitting on my doormat.

    Do they think I’ve suffered from some sort of short-term memory loss – that I can’t remember that they told me about ‘Building A Brighter Future’ yesterday, and the day before that?

    At least it’s keeping me fit – all those trips from the front door to the recycling bin out back.

And there’s still nearly a week to go…

 

Mixed messages for Press readers on the Lib Dems’ campaign

There are mixed messages about the Liberal Democrats in the York Press today.

A story headlined Fury over Lib Dem leaflets with ‘misleading’ polls was published on the newspaper’s website – while surrounded by an advert to ‘Build A Brighter Future – Vote Liberal Democrat’.

The Press report says some residents are angered by claims in Lib Dem election literature that “it is a simple fact that the Labour Party aren’t going to win in York Outer. It is going to be a close battle between the Lib Dems and the Conservatives”.

Considering the Lib Dems came a poor third in 2017, with Labour in second place to Conservative Julian Sturdy, this is “royally misleading” says one.

And yet this claim is repeated all over the front page of the, ahem, York Press today:

The paid-for wraparound in the print edition

All very confusing…

Brexit and mega prisons: Highlights from the University of York hustings

The hustings at University of York. Photograph: University of York Students' Union on Twitter

Last night the University of York Students’ Union hosted an election hustings on campus.

YorkMix wasn’t there, but the YUSU twitter account did an excellent job of live tweeting the debate.

Here are a few highlights. The panel was, from left to right, Tom Franklin, York Central Green Party candidate; Anna Perrett – Labour’s York Outer candidate; Lib Dem candidate for York Outer Keith Aspden; and Julian Sturdy, Conservative candidate for York Outer.

Brexit

The environment

Mega prison

Corbyn not coming

Jeremy Corbyn is not now coming to address a rally in Exhibition Square.

York Central Labour candidate Rachael Maskell tells the crowd he can’t make it because the traffic is too bad.

But he will return “when he’s Prime Minister”.

A massive own goal by Labour in York today.

You can now read our full report here.

More from the York College speech

Speaking at York College Mr Corbyn said that “the war on terror has manifestly failed”.

He said: “For far too long, our country’s leaders have made the wrong calls on our security.

“Their mistakes in no way absolve terrorists of blame for their murderous actions – the blame lies with the terrorists, their funders and recruiters.

“But if we are to protect people, we must be honest about what threatens our security.

“The threat of terrorism cannot and should not be reduced to questions of foreign policy alone, but too often the actions of successive governments have fuelled, not reduced, that threat.”
Mr Corbyn added that he “warned against the invasion and occupation of Iraq” yet the UK is “still living with the consequences today”.

He continued: “Britain should not have joined that conflict which has, as a result, created a vast ungoverned space, that has contributed to misery in the region and made us less safe here in this country, and indeed many other parts of Europe.”