The Examiner has asked General Election candidates in all four Kirklees seats to pitch for your vote.
We’ll publish statements from the candidates - here is Batley and Spen.
Tracy Brabin – Labour
I will continue to be an MP that listens, always standing by your side, always fighting your corner on issues such as getting the best Brexit deal for Batley and Spen. From fighting the causes of deprivation, to encouraging regeneration, I want our community to grow and flourish.
I will stand up for Dewsbury and District Hospital, I will oppose plans to downgrade services, and I will push to improve access to GPs, dentists, and mental health services.
I will demand improved infrastructure links and public transport for Batley and Spen. From increased rail capacity to better roads, I will fight to ensure Batley and Spen is at the front of the queue to benefit from infrastructure investments.
I will support apprenticeships and training opportunities so that all of our young people can fulfil their potential. I will fight the Tory cuts to our local school budgets where every single school will see their budgets slashed, £9.4m will be lost from Batley and Spen overall.
I will fight discrimination in all its forms, at home and abroad. I will protect people against hate crime, work to close the gender pay gap and end pregnancy discrimination.
Ann Myatt – Conservative
The Examiner received nothing from this campaign.
Aleks Lukic – Independent
I‘m a local teacher, I led the local Brexit campaign and I’ve been around our district for nearly all my life.
There are pressing issues in Batley and Spen that the other candidates won’t talk about.
Our children deserve more grammar school places, but our Labour candidate wants to abolish all grammar schools.
Our vital local services are struggling for funds, but our Conservative candidate wants to keep spending nearly £14 billion of our money on foreign aid instead.
We have had two local people convicted of offences relating to Islamist extremism in the last six months, but none of the other candidates will speak out against this twisted ideology.
In times like these Batley and Spen should not simply vote for the usual candidates taking their party lines. We should elect an Independent MP who will shake up Parliament and confront head-on the toughest challenges facing Britain today.
John Lawson - Liberal Democrat
The Examiner received nothing from this campaign.
Mohammed Hanif – Independent
The Examiner received nothing from this campaign.
Alan Freeman – Green Party
The Examiner received nothing from this campaign.
