Melksham and Devizes Climate and Nature Hustings, 26th June 2024
Update - 29th June 2024For those not using Facebook, additional recording to watch on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/AlyV1nwOvNA?si=uXeqRD_hj4KZ9mD8
Update - 27th June 2024
The majority of candidates and almost 80 members of the public attended our hustings last night at Spencer Sports and Social Club. A very useful evening. Recording of hustings at ((here))
Hustings help you decide which party and election candidate will do most for our constituency, our country and our planet.
The debate comes as 71% of adults in the UK say not enough is being done to protect the environment for future generations.
Environment groups covering Urchfont, Colerne, Bradford on Avon, Calne S, Lavington, Devizes and Melksham invite you to an 'in person' CLIMATE AND NATURE HUSTINGS for the new Melksham and Devizes parliamentary constituency On Wednesday, 26th June 2024 at the Spencer Sports and Social Club, Beanacre Road, Melksham, SN12 8AG. All welcome - please take your seats at 6 p.m.
UPDATE - Live stream will be at https://www.facebook.com/share/p/JcCMs1sNJ2K3WWgw/?mibextid=WC7FNe
Despite current time pressures, all five candidates have engaged and most will be present on the night. We look forward to working with whoever is elected as the MP for Melksham and Devizes, just as we have done with past MPs in our ‘old’ constituencies.
Audience members will have an opportunity to put their questions. An initial statement will be made from each of the candidates. Each candidate present will then addressing a couple of questions to help the audience put their environmental plans in the context of their own and party policies when elected. Then the chair will open the floor for questions which will be responded to by all candidates present.
We are making arrangements for the event to be recorded and broadcast, but the opportunity to interact and ask questions will be limits to audience members there in person.
There is no charge for entry to the hustings, and no need to book, though contributions to hall hire costs will be invited. Geoff Hammond, Emeritus Professor of Mechanical Engineering, University of Bath has kindly agreed to chair.
Our venue is within walking and cycling distance of most of Melksham, and is timed to allow many of you to return home afterwards on nearby public transport:
20:17 bus (273) to Bowerhill, Sells Green and Devizes
20:21 train to Chippenham (change for 55 bus to Calne)
20:25 bus (273) to Shaw, Whitley, Atworth and Box
20:39 train to Trowbridge (change for Bradford-on-Avon)
There is also car parking available at the venue and overflow at the railway station.
These are non-selective hustings to which all candidates are invited.
They are your opportunity:
* to learn from candidates about their and their party's knowledge and policies on climate and nature issues to assist individual voting decisions
* to inform the candidates as to public views locally and perhaps influence them
* to learn more about the work of environment groups
They are an opportunity for the candidates:
* to show the electorate their commitment to sustainability issues
* to convince electors that they and their party merit their vote
* to listen to the agendas, concerns and desires of their public
* to network, making contacts for future working together
There is public concern across such issues as:
Net zero goals, greening electricity supply, fair transitioning from fossil fuels, reducing all greenhouse gas emissions, supporting community and local renewables, solving grid connection and baseload balancing, reducing energy needs of all built environment, water sources and quality, flooding and tidal issues, supporting regenerative farming and non-destructive land use, reducing pollution and waste, enhancing biodiversity, reforming unhealthy aspects of food policy, improving public transport and supporting a transition to low-carbon transport. Please come along and pop your questions.
Candidates in alphabetic order
Reform UK - Malcolm Cupis (sent a statement - received otherwise engaged)
Conservative - Michelle Donelan (otherwise engaged for all dates. Statement received)
Liberal Democrat - Brian Mathew (confirmed in person)
Labour - Kerry Postlewhite (confirmed in person)
Green - Catherine Read (confirmed in person)
Contact us
hustings@melkshamenvironmentgroup.org.uk
This page is https://www.mkmeg.org.uk/hustings.html
https://www.facebook.com/groups/mkmeg
