The General Election candidates in Chronicle country who want your votes next week

North East Bedfordshire

Name: Alistair Burt

Party: Conservative

Alistair Burt will stand again for the Conversatives in the North East area.

This general election he has prioritised housing, education, broadband, and a rural community.

Mr Burt said: “The challenges of the next few years are immense.

“Without a strong economy we cannot guarantee our security, our personal prosperity, our public services, or our communities.”

North East Bedfordshire

Name: Stephen Rutherford

Party: Liberal Democrats

Working as an aerospace engineer at Cranfield, Lib Dem Stephen Rutherford has spent his career working in advanced engineering roles on planes, cars, buses and satellites.

He said: “This gives me first-hand experience of exporting both inside and outside of the EU, and the economic risks of losing free and easy access to the single market.

“I live in Shortstown and one of the things I first noticed about the village was its strong community spirit, which has inspired me to get involved.”

North East Bedfordshire

Name: Julian Vaughan

Party: Labour

Julian Vaughan has been selected to stand as the Labour candidate, and he hopes to turn the tables on the area.

Mr Vaughan said: “Labour will create a society that works for the many, not the few, a fairer society where all are treated with dignity in ill-health and old age and no-one is left behind.

“I will fight tirelessly to bring these changes to North East Bedfordshire.”

North East Bedfordshire

Name: Philippa Fleming

Party: Green

As a Green Party candidate, Philippa Fleming will be campaigning for a fully-funded NHS and care services, opposing the loss of A&E and maternity services in Bedford Hospital, opposing austerity, wanting a fair ‘Brexit’ deal and better air quality.

Ms Fleming said: “I will work to improve education provisions, sustainable local housing, and on human and workers rights issues.”

North East Bedfordshire

Name: Duncan Strachan

Party: UKIP

Duncan Strachan, standing for UKIP. has lived in North East Bedfordshire, and worked in the area as a solicitor, for the last 37 years.

He said: “I have the necessary skills, understanding and experience to enable me to represent you as your MP. As a Councillor and former Mayor of Biggleswade and former Chairman of committees at Mid- Bedfordshire District Council I understand the workings of local government.As a trustee of a National Charity caring for children and adults with learning disabilities I understand the practical difficulties affecting the Care Sector and the many challenges that it faces e.g. financial, staffing, etc..”

Mid Beds

Name: Nadine Dorries

Party: Conservative

Nadine Dorries is again the Tory standing for the Central Beds seat, stating the efficiency of rail services and fighting development as her priorities.

If successful this will make it Ms Dorries’ fourth election win.

She said: “Preventing Mid Bedfordshire from being swamped by concrete remains my main focus and my biggest challenge.

“As a young nurse living on a council estate, I learnt to communicate with people from all walks of life.”

Mid Beds

Name: Lisa French

Party: Liberal Democrats

Lib Dem candidate Lisa French is pro-European, and opposed to a Hard Brexit. Lisa will fight for the UK to stay a member of the single market.

Ms French is also a campaigner for political reform, and wants to change the ‘out-dated’ voting system and introduce votes at 16.

She said: “I will campaign to improve facilities and local services across Central Bedfordshire, supporting residents and small businesses with the infrastructure, investment and facilities they need.”

Mid Beds

Name: Rhiannon Meades

Party: Labour

For Labour candidate Rhiannon Meades, she hopes to answer questions hovering over health care and the NHS, local services and transport.

Ms Meades is the Women’s Officer for Mid Beds Labour CLP, and is ‘committed’ to protecting our public services and building a fairer society.

She said: “I want to seize that opportunity in these unusual political times to offer the hardworking people of Bedfordshire a change.

“Imagine a hard-working, proactive, trustworthy, local, strong, full-time Labour MP.”

Mids Beds

Name: Gareth Ellis

Party: Greens

Green Party candidate Gareth Ellis has worked in the public, private and voluntary sectors, promoting sustainable energy and is currently the energy and environment manager for Cranfield University.

He said: “The people of Mid Bedfordshire deserve better. I want to work to ensure we have better public transport and availability of local services.

“We also have the most popular policies for the NHS, education, environment and combating crime.”

Candidates standing for the South Cambridgeshire constituency, which includes Gamlingay, are:

Conservative Heidi Allen

Labour Dan Greef

Green Simon Saggers

Liberal Democrat Susan van de Ven