Tories and Labour go head-to-head in Portsmouth North election hustings

Education and Brexit took center stage as the second round of election hustings took place at the University of Portsmouth.

This week we heard from candidates for the Portsmouth North seat, with Amanda Martin, from the Labour Party, and Conservative Penny Mordaunt, who is looking to retain her seat, going head-to-head. The Liberal Democrat candidate, Antonia Harrison, was not able to come due to ill health but did send a colleague to read her opening statement.

Candidates: Mordaunt (left), and Martin (right).

Portsmouth North has been under safe Tory rule since 2010. Tonight's hustings gave local voters an opportunity to see if they wanted this to change.

Mordaunt, a navy reservist, has built up strong support for herself in the naval city.

The keen voters of Portsmouth came down to the Eldon building to see who their candidates were, and what they stood for. Both were given a chance to address the audience with an opening statement to set out their candidacy.

Mordaunt took to the podium first, making a case for Brexit.

She said: ‘I believe we’ve got to get Brexit done.’ This could prove a popular opinion in the Portsmouth area, which voted 58% for Leave.

Martin started off by telling the audience about her last 15 years being a teacher in the local area, as well as a union president for the NEU. She went on to talk about the NHS, stating: ‘I want to see a properly funded NHS and a social care package that does what it says.’ Martin also stated the importance of sorting out a green deal as soon as possible.

Throughout the evening, various issues were brought to the attention of the candidates by their constituents including, Brexit, the education system, mental health services and the navy.

Here are some of the questions that were raised tonight, as well as the responses from the candidates. Check twitter for the #UoPGE19, to find out more about what was said at the hustings.

Why should the voters for Portsmouth North trust you?

Mordaunt: ‘Well look at my record. I have delivered on my past promises. I’d also say look at the way I’ve conducted myself. I don’t go in for knockabout politics.’

Martin: ‘I have been a teacher for 22 years in this city, I am the head of my union and I think I have also conducted myself in a very professional way throughout.’

Please explain if Brexit is good or bad for Portsmouth North and why?

Martin: ‘I think it’s been an awful experience for many people but it is something we need to get sorted. Once it’s sorted it is only the start however. Not the end.’

Mordaunt: ‘I think we have got to deliver on the result. If we don’t trust the people how can they trust us as politicians? I think we will look back at this time in our history with pride.’

Only 22% of 18 year olds in Portsmouth North applied to go to university in 2017. One of the lowest in the country. How will you try to fix this?

Mordaunt: ‘I think we need to find ways that people can stay in their local communities and other ways of going into further education other than necessarily the university route.’

Martin: ‘I think finance is the key issue in deterring children from applying to university. Learning is about hitting those targets of maths and English which, yes, is important, but we need a wider curriculum.’

How will you protect the shipyard as a proud home of the Royal Navy?

Mordaunt: ‘We need to train people in the skills that the navy needs. We don’t have enough engineers in this country.’

Martin: ‘To me it is about the navy working with local business, and to make sure we are building British. As well, increase the public sector pay for those in the forces and proper housing for them here.’

After the election how do you suggest we move forward into a more accepting society?

Martin: ‘It isn’t an overnight fix but post-Brexit we must bring smaller communities together. We need to make sure racism in politics isn’t appropriate or acceptable.’

Mordaunt: ‘We’ve got to get parties to agree, to think about the big national missions we can all get behind: the environment, social care, even defence spending.’

The election will take place on December 12.