29/06/2024
General Election 2024
Peterborough People’s Assembly (PPA) members sent a set of 5 questions to all the candidates in Peterborough and neighbouring constituencies. Friday 28th June was the deadline given for replies.
We received a response to our question from two candidates, both in Peterborough.
Nicola Day and Nick Sandford.
Nick Sandford is the Lib Dem candidate standing for election in Peterborough.
Nicola Day is the Green Party candidate standing for election in Peterborough.
Polling day is Thursday July 4th
Here are the Questions we asked and the answers we received from the two candidates.
Our thanks to both for answering our questions.
PPA: Question 1 “What is your party going to commit to regarding climate change, with action of critical importance over the next 5 years in a rapidly closing window of opportunity?”
LIB DEM (Nick Sandford) : Climate Change is an existential threat to the planet and humanity. Urgent action is needed to achieve net zero and avert catastrophe. Lib Dems have set out a plan to get the country to net zero by 2045, five years ahead of the national target but we also want to see action in the next few years and specifically here are just a few of the specific measures that we propose:
Emission reductions of at least 68% from 1990 levels by 2030
Putting climate change at the heart of a new industrial strategy
Ensuring that nature based solutions including tree planting form a key part of the nation's climate change strategy
Every new car and van sold from 2030 onwards to be zero emission
Launching an emergency home energy programme to insulate homes and encourage renewable energy generation and battery storage
All new homes to be zero carbon with immediate effect
Removing unnecessary planning restrictions on new solar and wind power generation
GREEN (Nicola Day): Yes, we will put huge investment into tackling climate change as we understand the urgent need for this. We would:
- Pass a new Rights of Nature Act, to give nature a legal voice so it is not exploited for financial gain.
- Set aside 30% of our land and seas by 2030 in which nature will receive the highest priority and protection.
- Invest £29bn over next 5 years to insulate homes
- £9bn over next 5 years for more efficient heating systems
- We would phase out reliance on fossil fuel
- A Carbon Tax to make polluters pay and provide money to invest in a green transition
- Invest £7bn annually for climate adaptation.
- Invest £4bn in skills and training so workers are prepared for green jobs
- Bring water companies into private ownership, investing profits to clean up pollution/ sewage in our rivers ad seas.
PPA, question 2: “Will you commit to using taxation to address inequality, to fund social care and social security, and oppose any tax rises on the incomes of ordinary people earning below £40,000 a year?”
LIB Dem (Nick Sandford): We want to see a fair deal for everyone on taxation, including reversing the tax cuts given to the big banks and making energy companies pay in tax a fairer share of the profits that they generate, increasing the digital services tax on social media giants etc from 2% to 6%, imposing a new tax on share buyback schemes and removing tax loopholes that enable the wealthy to avoid capital gains tax. In the medium term we would like to see the basic rate tax allowance increased in line with inflation, as freezing it under the current Government has caused many more low paid workers to be drawn into paying tax.
Green (Nicola Day): - We would tax the super rich, those with over £10m of assets 1%, over £1bn 2%.
- We would reform capital gains tax to align rates paid by taxpayers on income and taxable gains. Affect less than 2% of all income taxpayers.
- We would align National Insurance rates on employable income so everyone is paying the same percentage per income.
PPA, question 3: “What is your position on the demand for the nationalisation of energy, water, mail and rail ?”
LIB Dem (Nick Sandford): We would not support renationalisation of any of the industries mentioned in the question, although personally I would be prepared to look at the arguments particularly in relation to water and the railways. On water, Lib Dems have led on exposing the scandal of sewage dumping by water companies in rivers and the sea. We would like to see OFWAT being replaced by a much more powerful regulatory body, with real powers to hold the industry to account and stand up for the rights of consumers. On rail, we propose a National Railway Agency to co-ordinate in a much stronger way the work of Network Rail and the private rail companies. On energy, one specific thing we would do is to change the regulatory regime to make it easier for small community based renewable energy generators to be able to sell their power into the National Grid at a fair price.
Green (Nicola Day): We would nationalise all of these services and use profits to improve these services.
PPA, Question 4: “Will your party oppose further privatisation of the National Health Service and plan for the outsourcing already undertaken to be reversed?”
Lib Dem, (Nick Sandford) – question not answered.
Green, (Nicola Day): Yes, we would invest heavily in our NHS, to rebuild Hospitals, recruit, train and retain NHS staff and pay staff fairly.
PPA question 5: “Will your party end the housing crisis with a plan to build and maintain in public hands a vitally needed large stock of good quality council houses?”
LIB Dem(Nick Sandford): On housing we want to ensure that everyone can access housing that meets their needs. Our specific proposals to dramatically increase the availability of housing include:
building ten new garden cities across England
allowing councils to buy land to build houses based on current use value
trialling community land auctions to ensure that local communities get a fair share of the profits from new housing to help fund vital local services
provide financial incentives for development of brownfield sites with adequate levels of social and affordable housing included
create a new rent to own model for social housing where rent payments give people an increasing stake in their homes resulting in outright ownership after 30 years.
new powers for councils to control second home ownership in their areas
increased legal protection for social renters.
I hope these responses are helpful. Please refer to the Lib Dem General Election Manifesto "For a Fair Deal" if you would like more detail on any of these points.
Green (Nicola Day): We would build 150,000 council homes per year and end right to buy on this stock of housing so these homes can stay in communities forever.
We would give councils powers to introduce rent controls
We would end no fault evictions
