1.What is your attitude to enforcing UK custom and practice recently expressed by the Australian PM for entry to Australia ie ‘either comply or feel free to leave!' Burkas should be banned in UK – they provide perfect cover for a suicide bomber!
Differences in "custom and practice" can refresh and add to the rich cultural life of the nation. If anyone has different attitudes to clothing, cookery, music or culture then good luck to them. Only if they have values which are in conflict with ours - on the position of women, or the exploitation of children, or the acceptance of different viewpoints, should we draw a line to toleration. Everyone should be allowed to wear whatever they choose - I'm not going to get into a debate on women's fashions.
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2.What are the candidates’ views on the recent cuts in school places and current shortfall and what would they do to prevent a similar scenario in the secondary sector ?
The numbers of children in an area rise and fall according to demography. The LEA did not get its sums right, through not considering all the information it could have obtained. It should learn from the mistake and do better in future.
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3. After the floods last year and the current last year and the current travel chaos do the candidates agree that insurance companies should be forced to stop hiding behind the ‘small print’ and make their policies entirely transparent.
Yes, absolutely. We need to name and shame those who have done this, and ensure that restrictions are explained clearly.
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4. Is it true, as reported in the press, that the service personnel now serving abroad will not be able to vote?
This story seems to arise from the idea that it may take too long to send a postal ballot paper to a Forces address (especially in distant theatres like Afghanistan) and get it returned. The Electoral commission website contains full instructions on how service personnel can vote by post or by proxy (and voting by proxy avoids the delay). When the election is over there should be a review to see if this is a definite problem, and if so it should be solved by an extension of the timetable, as Richard Benyon suggests. I would fully support this.
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5. Do the candidates believe that a cap on top salaries in the public sector should be matched by an equivalent top salary in the private sector. Are we all in this together?
No, we are not all in this together. The bankers and finance 'wizards' who caused the crisis are doing nicely, thank you. We can legislate to reduce bonuses (if we have the courage), but I do not see how we can legally cap outrageous salaries in the private sector - though we will ensure that firms publish a list of all employees earning over £200,000.
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6. What have you to offer to support the unemployed of this country – both young and old?
Our 'green stimulus' plan will create 100,000 jobs in manufacturing wind and wave power, in installing insulation and microgeneration in people's homes, in making schools more energy efficient, and in renovating disused properties.
For young people we will have a work placement scheme, paying them £55 a week for up to 3 months so they could learn useful skills making them more employable. There will be more apprenticeships and more FE places.
All unemployed people will be entitled to training support and assistance, without havng to wait 6 months for the privilege.
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7. Would you support Her Majesty in maintaing the intention of her Coronation Oath, to maintain the Laws of God in this Nation?
Absolutely. Our nation is based on Christian values which we generally all share, whatever our actual faith. These include the need to strengthen the weak, comfort the afflicted, heal the sick, deal justly with all, and support widows and orphans. These are the values that motivate me - and many others, from all parties - in politics today.
