Weaver Vale Constituency Hustings: Thursday 30th April

Rev'd. Denise Harding, Joseph Whyte (Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition), Graham Evans (Conservative), Amos Wright (UKIP), Chris Copeman (Green), Julia Tickridge (Labour), and Mary Di Mauro (Liberal Democrat).

More than 120 people attended Frodsham Methodist Church on Kingsley Road in Frodsham for the Church's first ever hosting of a General Election Hustings. It also happened to be the last hustings event in the Weaver Vale Constituency before the election on 7th May. Rev'd. Denise Harding chaired the proceedings, whilst questions tabled from the people present were sifted and sorted by friends from the local churches, and then were asked of all the candidates. These focused on local, national and international issues. All six of the candidates were present for all of the proceedings on the evening. 

The candidates responded well to being given no advance warning of the questions - which ranged in topic from health to tolling the Mersey bridges, from 'the delight or deliverance of leaving the EU' to 'when food banks will no longer be needed', from tax and the environment to finally - 'what are you most passionate about?', the candidates answered well, and were respectful of each other.

The undisputed star of the evening though, was someone not even old enough to vote - Esme Anstice from Frodsham Manor House Primary School - who asked a question about the NHS. She received a resounding applause from the whole audience, including the panel of candidates, for even being there, and for the boldness of being able to ask her question, which was: "My class have been talking about what should be the most important aim for the new government. We voted for the National Health Service. What would your party do for the NHS?"

Rev'd. Denise concluded the proceedings by inviting those present to contribute towards the Christian Aid DEC Nepal Appeal to help those affected by the earthquake a week ago, and then shared some words from the founding father of Methodism, John Wesley, as a hopeful manifesto for us all:

Do all the good you can. 
By all the means you can. 
In all the ways you can. 
In all the places you can. 
At all the times you can. 
To all the people you can. 
As long as ever you can.

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