Voters in Islwyn will hit the polling stations on Thursday, December 12 for the third General Election in five years.
The constituency includes: Aberbargoed, Abercarn, Argoed, Bedwellty, Blackwood, Cefn Fforest, Croespenmaen, Crosskeys, Crumlin, Cwmcarn, Cwmfelinfach, Fleur de Lis, Maesycwmmer, Markham, Newbridge, Oakdale, Pengam, Pontllanfraith, Pontymister, Pontywaun, Risca, Trinant, Wattsville, Wyllie and Ynysddu.
Find out what the candidates standing in the Islwyn constituency have to say below.
Labour – Chris Evans
For the past nine years I have been your Member of Parliament. In that time, whenever anyone has needed help I have been there for them.
To me being an MP means being part of the local community, so when residents in Cwmfelinfach campaigned against the waste transfer plant I was there standing shoulder to shoulder with them.
When the people of Pontllanfraith wanted to send a message about local cuts to their public services I marched in the streets alongside them.
If you support me on Thursday, I promise to stand up for you and your family and the issues which matter to you. I will never be more than a phone call away.
Conservatives – Gavin Chambers
Let’s get Wales out of the EU. This is a once in a generation opportunity to ensure we leave. The Labour Party wants us to remain and unfortunately the Brexit Party’s (former Conservative supporter) Member of the European Parliament candidate James Wells seem obsessed with making personal untrue insults against me. I’m 40 years of age with life experience working in the NHS. Being from Abertillery I know how Wales has been ignored by Labour for a generation. I urge you to ignore the negative campaigning and vote Conservative. Only by voting Conservative can you make sure the vote of the referendum will be honoured.
Plaid Cymru – Zoe Hammond
Until now, I hadn’t seen myself as a politician but more of a community activist involved in many local campaigns and projects whilst serving as a Town councillor. We have all witnessed the unprecedented decline in our frontline services due to the Conservative government budget cuts coupled with Labour’s mismanagement in Cardiff and in Caerphilly. We are a nation with tremendous potential, yet a third of our children are living in poverty. It is unacceptable that homelessness and rough sleeping is on the rise and that many working parents cannot feed their families without food bank donations. Iswlyn matters as much to me as it does to you and with your support, I promise to be Islwyn’s voice in Westminster and not Westminster’s voice in Islwyn.
Brexit Party – James Wells
Statement not yet submitted
Liberal Democrats – Jo Watkins
I am 46 years old and married to Cris a second generation steel worker. We have two lovely children. I run my own small business and am a local county councillor.
I am passionate about the rights of children, their education, particularly for those with special needs. Too many children are living in poverty. So I ran for election locally, and became a county councillor. Now I want to take that a step further by standing for parliament.
The biggest issue we face is the Climate Emergency. We are witnessing a catastrophic loss of biodiversity, the air we breathe is toxic, the oceans are full of plastics. Young people have taken to the streets, because they’re so worried that governments are failing to act. There is no planet B.? We need immediate and radical action.
Green Party – Catherine Linstrum
I joined the Green Party because time is running out to save our world for the future. I recently campaigned successfully to stop the wasteful, short-sighted M4 relief road – a road that would benefit big business, increase climate change and do nothing for the people of the South Wales Valleys. I’m continuing to campaign for better transport for all communities in South Wales, helping to boost local businesses and local quality of life. For generations, the industrial heartlands have been ignored while global corporations have been bolstered up by successive governments. I’m standing in Islwyn because I believe that people here deserve better.