Main message to voters:
Brexit (and hard Brexit in particular) will be disastrous for the economy of the UK and it will also be very bad for democracy as many EU are laws are rewritten into UK law with very little parliamentary scrutiny. Liberl Democracy needs fighting for.
Election history:
Clywd South 2010 General Election Clwyd South 2015 General Election
Priorities:
- Other The Conservatives have lurched sharply the the right and have taken up UKIP's agenda. I will fight for a co-operative future with the EU.
- Other Labour have lurched sharply to the left. They will destroy small businesses and the economy. I will fight for sensible economic policies.
- Other Our NHS is very efficient overall but it has problems largely caused by underfunding. I will support a 1p rise in taxes to fund the NHS.
Candidate positions on the election issues:
Economy
Targeting tax increases at high earners only is an ineffective way of raising revenue
The idea behind this statement is that high earners have resources allowing them to respond to changes in the tax regime to limit their liability - but there is no conclusive evidence of whether this statement is true or false.
Agree
Disagree
No opinion
Comment:
"There are simply not enough high earners to raise the taxes Labour needs for its spending commitments. The higher those taxes are the fewer high earners there will be and the less tax will be raised."
1 of 40 questions
To encourage economic growth, the UK's corporation tax rates should be decreased
The UK's current 'main rate' of corporation tax is 19%, the lowest rate in the G20 group of countries, however some EU countries, such as Ireland, rates as low as 12.5%.
Agree
Disagree
No opinion
Comment:
"Corporation Tax is a poor way of collecting tax as it is easily avoided by international companies. However, we already have historically low Corporation Tax rates and these are internationally competitive so I see no reason to lower them."
2 of 40 questions
To fund public services, a financial transactions tax should be levied
The term 'financial transactions tax' covers a wide array of taxes levied on financial transactions. At the moment, in the UK, there is a 0.5% tax or duty on purchasing shares. Most proposals for a financial transactions tax involve expanding this tax or duty to transactions on other asset classes.
Agree
Disagree
No opinion
Comment:
"The 'Robin Hood' tax is not a victimless tax! A huge chunk of the UK's tax income comes from London's financial centres and the 'Robin Hood' tax will massively damage this sector. We may not like bankers but we all rely on the huge sums they pay in tax. "
3 of 40 questions
The UK government should expand its ownership of strategically important companies and utilities
This policy mostly refers to the reversal of privatisation - a process that involved the transfer of responsibility and ownership of a company/utility from the public to the private sector.
Agree
Disagree
No opinion
Comment:
"Some nationally strategic services make more sense in public ownership but careful consideration is needed in each case. It would be hugely expensive (better spent in the NHS?) and some of us remember how appalling inefficent British Rail was and how bad our water was in public owenership."
4 of 40 questions
The UK should borrow substantially more money to invest in national infrastructure, even if this increases the national debt
The UK's Office for Budget Responsibility expects UK debt as a percentage of national income to peak in the current financial year at 88%.
Agree
Disagree
No opinion
Comment:
"Infrastructure and similar but not general public spending."
5 of 40 questions
To fund public services, there should be a small increase in income tax for all earners
Currently, UK income tax outside of Scotland is levied at 0% up to £11,500 (the 'Personal Allowance'), at 20% from £11,501 to £45,00 (Basic Rate), at 40% from £45,001 to £150,000 (Higher Rate) and at 45% over £150,000 (Additional Rate).
Agree
Disagree
No opinion
Comment:
"There are simply too few really rich people to fund inevitable increases in public services by just taxing them. We have to raise taxes across the whole population to make it work. "
6 of 40 questions
Brexit
Leaving the EU's Single Market is a worthwhile price to pay to gain control over immigration to the UK
Access to the EU's Single Market tends to be associated with the free movement of people (one of the Single Market's 'Four Freedoms'), making it difficult to envision a scenario whereby full Single Market access can co-exist with full control of immigration.
Agree
Disagree
No opinion
Comment:
"Control over immigration is a myth. If we want to trade with anybody we have to accept rules that allow immigration. The most recent numbers show msot immigrants come from outside the EU and we already 'control' that. Leaving the single market is an act of massive economic self harm."
7 of 40 questions
Once talks with the EU are complete, there should be a second referendum on whether to accept the Brexit deal or remain a member of the EU
In the UK, the principle of parliamentary sovereignty means that referendums have a 'non binding' quality. The absence of a formal constitution in the UK means that deciding to have a second or subsequent referendum is a political decision for parliament to make.
Agree
Disagree
No opinion
Comment:
"Why not? We seem to be heading for a deal which looks very bad for us all."
8 of 40 questions
The UK should remain a member of the EU
This is a close approximation of the wording of the 2016 'Brexit' referendum, which received 48% of the vote on a turnout of 72%, compared to 52% voting in favour of the 'leave' option.
Agree
Disagree
No opinion
9 of 40 questions
Even if there is no transitional UK-EU trade deal in place, the UK should leave the EU in 2019
Having notified the EU of its intention to withdraw under Article 50 of the Treaty on the European Union (TEU) in March 2017, UK withdrawal will take place either when there is an agreement in place or after two years - unless there is unanimous agreement in the EU to extent the negotiating period.
Agree
Disagree
No opinion
Comment:
"With no final deal or transitional deal in place we will not have a choice but to leave. Leaving without any deal would cause absolute chaos, a vacuum without legal structures."
10 of 40 questions
Health
There should be no role for private sector operators within the NHS
While this is a devolved matter, with the National Assembly for Wales controlling Health in Wales, a move in this direction in England would likely have profound consequences in Wales.
Agree
Disagree
No opinion
Comment:
"GP's have always been private operators so this question makes no sense. Dentists are private operators. As long as the services provided are free to all on the basis of need I do not idealogically feel the need for every service to be provided by a public body. Public provision is most efficient"
11 of 40 questions
New taxes raised to support the NHS should be earmarked solely for NHS spending
This would be an example of what is known as 'hypothecated tax' which the Financial Times defines as: 'A tax where the money obtained, or part of the money obtained, is used for a particular purpose, rather than spent on a number of things.'
Agree
Disagree
No opinion
Comment:
"To the extent that the public need to be behind tax rises to fund the NHS."
12 of 40 questions
Social care costs above a threshold of £100,000 should be met by individuals' estates, including the value of their family home
While this is a devolved matter, with the National Assembly for Wales controlling Social Care in Wales, a move in this direction in England would likely have profound consequences in Wales.
Agree
Disagree
No opinion
Comment:
"Social care costs are a ticking time bomb and the state will be unable to fund it for everybody in the future. This £100,000 cap proposal is poorly thought out but it is at least addressing the issue."
13 of 40 questions
Workers' Rights and Pensions
The UK's minimum wage should be raised to £10 per hour by 2020
Since April 2017, the UK's National Minimum Wage rates are as follows: £7.50 (25 and over); £7.05 (21-24); £5.60 (18-20); £4.05 (under 18); £3.50 (Apprentice)
Agree
Disagree
No opinion
Comment:
"The minimum wage should be set by an independent body such that labour markets are significantly impacted. This should not be a political football with parties bidding against each other. "
14 of 40 questions
Zero hours contracts facilitate flexible working and should not be banned
Zero hours contracts mean that employers are not obliged to provide any minimum working hours to a worker , who is not obliged to do the work when asked. Such contracts legally cannot prevent a worker for looking for or accepting other work.
Agree
Disagree
No opinion
Comment:
"Generally they work well and most people in such contarcts like them. The real problem is abuse by some companies. To ban them would be an overreaction."
15 of 40 questions
The UK government should maintain the ‘triple lock’ of increasing the state pension each year
The 'triple lock' promises to increase the state pension annually by whichever of earnings growth, prices growth or 2.5% is the highest
Agree
Disagree
No opinion
Comment:
"For the time being. In time the link to wages and inflation alone would be enough to maintain pension values."
16 of 40 questions
Education
University tuition fees should be abolished
While this is a devolved matter, with the National Assembly for Wales controlling Education in Wales, a move in this direction in England would likely have profound consequences in Wales.
Agree
Disagree
No opinion
Comment:
"Whilst almost 50% of the population goes into Higher Education this is simply unaffordable. Worse, it is actually a case of the rich being subsidised by the poor (on the whole). The numbers of poor students has atually increased since the introduction of tuition fees."
17 of 40 questions
The government should dedicate resources to opening new selective 'grammar' schools
This is a devolved matter, with the National Assembly for Wales controlling Education in Wales, but it is a key issue dividing parties in this election.
Agree
Disagree
No opinion
Comment:
"Grammar schools give the illusion of choice but actually condemn 75% of the pupils to a poorer education. I support comprehensive education with good streaming of pupils so that all pupils have equal chances in life and slow starters can still succeed."
18 of 40 questions
Social security and Housing
The 'bedroom tax' should be scrapped
The 'bedroom tax' (also known as the 'under-occupancy penalty' or 'spare room subsidy') is a cut in housing benefit if you live in a council or housing association home and are classed as having a spare bedroom.
Agree
Disagree
No opinion
Comment:
"It should be improved to deal with the problems but social housing is there to provide a safety net not simply state run housing."
19 of 40 questions
The UK government should invest substantially in expanding the number of council houses built in the term of the next parliament
While this is a devolved matter, with the National Assembly for Wales controlling housing in Wales, a move in this direction in England would likely have profound consequences in Wales.
Agree
Disagree
No opinion
Comment:
"This makes sense."
20 of 40 questions
The government should introduce legislation that caps landlords' ability to raise rents
While this is a devolved matter, with the National Assembly for Wales controlling housing in Wales, a move in this direction in England would likely have profound consequences in Wales.
Agree
Disagree
No opinion
Comment:
"The market already caps the landlords ability to increase rents. There should be laws to stop abuse and protect tenants but state control over rents is counter productive."
21 of 40 questions
Unemployed people who fail to seek a job or accept training should have their benefits sanctioned
Sanctions for failing to seek work or accept training are a key feature of the way that Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) is currently administered.
Agree
Disagree
No opinion
22 of 40 questions
The Political System
The voting age should be reduced to 16 in UK elections and referendums
The minimum voting age is currently set at 18 years old.
Agree
Disagree
No opinion
23 of 40 questions
A system of proportional representation should be adopted for UK general elections
Proportional representation' refers to methods of casting and counting votes that are designed to facilitate a closer correspondence between the proportion of votes and seats won by parties than the current 'first past the post' system.
Agree
Disagree
No opinion
Comment:
"The current system perpetuates Labour and Conservative control. Most people now vote against the Conservatives or Labour rather tahn for any party they actually support. It is time we had a fairer system. "
24 of 40 questions
Wales should aim to become an independent country
Wales is not currently an indpendent country, but its devolved parliament controls many key aspects of Welsh life, including healthcare and education.
Agree
Disagree
No opinion
Comment:
"Wales has been integrated with the rest of the UK several hundred years and I see no advantage to changing this. Are we that different to our English neighbours? Devolving power to local communities is a very good thing but I do not like doing it on nationalistic lines."
25 of 40 questions
Substantially more powers should be given to the National Assembly for Wales
The Wales Act 2017 recently passed into law, and it set out some new powers for the Assembly as well as moving from a 'conferred' to a 'reserved' powers model.
Agree
Disagree
No opinion
Comment:
"They seem about right to me."
26 of 40 questions
The House of Lords should be reformed so that all of its members are democratically elected
Unlike the elected House of Commons, members of the House of Lords are not directly elected.
Agree
Disagree
No opinion
27 of 40 questions
Wales is currently unfairly underfunded by the UK government
Adjustments to the Welsh budget are determined through the 'Barnett Formula'.
Agree
Disagree
No opinion
Comment:
"The Barnet formula is outdated and unfit and needs reviewing."
28 of 40 questions
Environment
The government should do more to tackle climate change, even if this increases costs for industry
The term 'climate change' in this question refers to the scientific finding that human activity is resulting in changes to the global climate.
Agree
Disagree
No opinion
Comment:
"International agreemenst are needed. The EU would be a very good forum to start with."
29 of 40 questions
Regulated 'fracking' of shale gas and oil should be allowed by the UK government
The term 'fracking' in this question refers to the process of injecting liquid at high pressure into subterranean rocks, boreholes, etc. so as to force open existing fissures and extract oil or gas.
Agree
Disagree
No opinion
Comment:
"I am still undecided on this issue. Renewables are the future but as a short term meaasure should we allow some fracking as a cost effective energy supply?"
30 of 40 questions
Foreign Policy and Defence
The UK should maintain the 'special relationship' with the USA in international affairs
The Special Relationship is the unofficial term for the exceptionally close political, diplomatic, cultural, economic, military and historical relations between the United Kingdom and the United States.
Agree
Disagree
No opinion
Comment:
"I am not sure we really have a special relationship. We like to think we do but that is different. Aligning ourselves with US policy is a double edged sword. We actually have more in common with our EU partners and should be maintaining that relationship."
31 of 40 questions
Renewal of the UK's Trident nuclear weapons system should be cancelled
Last year the House of Commons voted by a large majority to renew the Trident system.
Agree
Disagree
No opinion
Comment:
"I don't think it is an effective or cost efficient deterent. The huge costs could be spent more sensibly elsewhere."
32 of 40 questions
The UK should continue to spend 0.7% of its national income on overseas aid
This has been the level of UK spending on foreign aid every year since 2013.
Agree
Disagree
No opinion
Comment:
"We are a rich country."
33 of 40 questions
Social Issues and Crime
The UK should dramatically expand its number of police officers, even if this means cuts in other public services or tax increases
The Home Office reports that there were 124,066 officers in the year ending March 2016 compared with 143,769 seven years previous to that - a fall of 14%
Agree
Disagree
No opinion
Comment:
"Policing has changed and numbers are not the best measure of an effective police service. There are often calls for more 'bobbies on the beat' but this is often a very poor use of police resources. "
34 of 40 questions
For those convicted of a crime, there should be more of an emphasis on rehabilitation than on punishment
Agree
Disagree
No opinion
Comment:
"Locking people away does not reduce crime, in fact it does the opposite. "
35 of 40 questions
Burkas and other face-covering garments should be banned from being worn in public
There is currently no ban on Islamic dress in the UK.
Agree
Disagree
No opinion
Comment:
"There are times when it is important to see somebody's face. When it is not important we should let people do what they want. "
36 of 40 questions
The recreational use of cannabis should be legalised
It is currently illegal to possess cannabis in any form in the UK.
Agree
Disagree
No opinion
Comment:
"Criminalisation has not worked and has put money in the hands of crimnal gangs and organised crime."
37 of 40 questions
Immigration
Immigration contributes significantly to the UK's prosperity
The latest ONS report estmiates that annual net migration to the UK was estimated by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) at 273,000 a fall of 49,000 from the previous year.
Agree
Disagree
No opinion
Comment:
"Immigration is a sign of a successful and vibrant country. People come to the UK because it is free and economically successful. Fewer immigrants means higher taxes and poorer public services because the economy will not thrive. Who will harvest our fruit and vegetables?"
38 of 40 questions
Net immigration to the UK should be reduced to below 100,000 per year
The latest ONS report estimates that annual net migration to the UK was estimated by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) at 273,000 a fall of 49,000 from the previous year.
Agree
Disagree
No opinion
Comment:
"Probably impossible and if acheived it will happen because the economy is so bad nobody wants to come here anymore."
39 of 40 questions
Too much immigration has undermined British culture and identity
The latest ONS report estmiates that annual net migration to the UK was estimated by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) at 273,000 a fall of 49,000 from the previous year.
Agree
Disagree
No opinion
Comment:
"The day somebody can define 'British culture and identity' then this might make sense. Having an Indian take away after a night out drinking German beer? Or is it talking about the weather? I always thought it was about tolerance and moderation in everything but maybe I was wrong? "
40 of 40 questions