IT has already been six weeks since Prime Minister Theresa May called her surprise ‘snap’ general election — and with just a week to go until the vote on June 8, the Times is giving our area’s candidates a chance to speak.

Mrs May said that division in Westminster ahead of Brexit negotiations was the reason the Government was calling the election at ‘this moment of enormous national significance’.

Brexit has been the main issue grabbing most of the national headlines during the campaign, though the state of the NHS, funding for schools and controversial plans for social care, dubbed the ‘dementia tax’, have also grabbed attention.

With a week to go, the Times has given all candidates from the Central Devon constituency a platform to talk about themselves and speak out on the issues they feel most strongly about ahead of the vote.

Here are the comments from the Central Devon parliamentary candidates:

Mel Stride, Conservatives: ‘As an MP I fought hard for our farmers – I was the minister that led the legislative committee that brought into law up to £100-million fines for supermarkets that treat our farmers unfairly.

‘I have worked hard to promote a regular rail service between Okehampton, Crediton and Exeter. I secured visits to Okey by the last transport secretary and recently persuaded the current transport secretary to announce that government will work with GWR to put in place a regular trial service.

‘I have met with local GPs, the CCG and local councillors to press for the best possible outcome for local health services. I have engaged heavily in support of local schools – recently taking the chair of governors and head teacher of Okey College to Westminster to press our case for better funding face to face with our schools minister. If re-elected I will continue to fight for us.’

Lisa Robillard Webb, Labour: Lisa has been chair of the Central Devon Labour Party for four years and has been active in local and national elections; standing as candidate in local elections and campaigning in two general elections and the European Referendum. 

Speaking after the selection, Lisa said: ‘Devon is my home. It’s where I live and work and where I am raising my family. 

‘Devon needs a Labour voice to fight for the services and leadership we deserve.  I am extremely proud to be Labour’s candidate for June’s general election.’

Lisa considers herself passionate about protecting education and health and social care services; fighting for mental health services and affordable homes and challenging the growing gap between rich and poor in this country.

She also said she recognised the particular challenges faced in a large rural area and would be an active representative of the constituency’s needs, defending local services.

Alex White, Liberal Democrats: Mr White has said he wants to ‘reverse the Conservative cuts to education, invest £6-billion into the health service with 1p on income tax, and be a vocal campaigner for the people of Central Devon’.

He lives in Chawleigh. After doing A-Levels at Exeter College he went on to Warwick University to read European Law and spent a year studying in Berlin.

He first became interested in politics when he was a Member of Youth Parliament for North Devon, West Devon and Torridge. There, he represented the views of young people to decision makers on Devon County Council.

Mr White said he was dedicated to his voluntary work, having participated in a research programme into HIV awareness in Jamaica for UNICEF.

He was also a rights investigator for the Children’s Rights Alliance England where he compiled a report on the state of children’s rights in the UK for the UN.

Tim Matthews, UKIP: Mr Matthews, a piano recitalist and music teacher, campaigned hard for Britain to leave the European Union in 2016 and he believes that a vote for UKIP is the best way of ensuring a good Brexit deal for Britain.

One of his main focuses is on local issues, including over-development, particularly opposing large housing schemes in rural Devon.

He has said he believed that a local MP must fight to protect Devon’s beautiful countryside, to take action on the state of the roads and the lack of local policing.

‘In the end, all politics is local. It is local concerns that MPs at Westminster are mainly asked to deal with.’

Mr Matthews lives in Crediton with his wife and daughter. He supports a range of groups, including the Coalition for Marriage, Help for Heroes and the Dogs Trust.

Andy Williamson, Green Party: Andy Williamson has pledged to make protecting A&E services, funding for Devon’s schools and securing a referendum on Brexit negotiations as campaign priorities.

He said: ‘Central Devon is a fabulous, diverse and interesting place covering such a huge area. I am passionate about the NHS and social care. We need one organisation that promotes a healthy life for everyone, helps them to achieve that, and which delivers the best possible care for anyone with the bad luck to be ill, or to have reached the stage in their lives where they need help with everyday life.

‘We have the resources, the intelligence and the wit to create a society where everyone feels part of it, rather than all the disenfranchisement and fear that the last seven years have brought.

‘I will stand up for Central Devon to ensure all aspects of our communities — health, education, the countryside, food, the arts — are protected and nourished to help us thrive.’

John Dean, National Health Action Party: ‘I have watched the progressive decline in the NHS since 2010 with dismay and feel that it is at breaking point and in danger of disintegration.

‘I have not witnessed staff morale so low in my 38 years of NHS employment. As a physician, passionately committed to the NHS, I simply cannot stand by idly and allow this to happen.

‘I have worked as a consultant cardiologist in Exeter and lived in the Central Devon constituency since 1995. I am the SW peninsula representative for the Royal College of Physicians. I am a member of Doctors for the NHS.

‘I regularly write comment pieces for the BMJ on health related matters.

‘Despite being the world’s fifth richest nation, the UK spends 25 per cent less on health than our European neighbours. Is this because we in the UK care 25 per cent less about our health service? I think not.

‘Unless decisive action is taken, I fear we might see the NHS vanish altogether. I have made a career in medicine, not politics and this puts me in a strong position to be the advocate for patients in the political arena. I am proud to be a member of the National Health Action Party and honoured to have been chosen to represent them in the 2017 general election.’

Lloyd Knight, Liberal Party: A BRADNINCH town councillor, Lloyd Knight is active in his local community.

In the run-up to the recent local elections where Mr Knight stood for Creedy, Taw and Mid Exe, he said that he believed councillors should be active all year round and not just at election time.

He pledged that if elected, he would hold regular surgeries to assist people who prefer face-to-face contact rather than electronic communication.

He vocally opposes any cuts to cottage hospital beds and maintains that all such hospitals could provide care for people leaving hospital. He has also said he would like to see local statutory services working together to ensure that beds were not blocked in the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital.

Mr Knight has said that services and resources for safeguarding children were ‘vitally important’ and should not in any way be subject to funding cuts.Polling stations will be open from 7am to 10pm on June 8, make sure to exercise your democratic right and vote!