WITH the General Election just over a week away, the candidates for Islwyn have explained why they think you should vote for them.

Gavin Chambers - Conservative

South Wales Argus:

Lets get Brexit done!

Over three years ago Wales voted decisively to leave the European Union.

If elected I will support Boris Johnson to deliver the will of the people getting us our of the EU.

Trust is vital in politics the first duty of an MP is to serve his or her constituents.

The people of Islwyn have been ignored by the Labour Party 0 your MP has voted to stop Brexit from happening.

When your elected Member of Parliament ignores nearly 60 percent of the people he is meant to serve something is wrong!

If elected never again will the people of Islwyn be ignored like they have been.

I will be a strong voice in Westminster to not only deliver Brexit, but a voice to help regenerate our area.

I was born and raised in a council house in the area and I understand the lack of opportunities many people in our area feel.

I will do everything I can to bring investment and opportunities to the people of Islwyn.

My background as a nurse, where I trained in the South Wales Valleys, is another passion, I know the NHS in our area needs more funding.

I know this first hand as I have worked in many hospitals in South Wales. The Conservatives will deliver the funding our NHS so desperately needs.

Please vote Conservative on December 12 - let's bring democracy home!

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Chris Evans - Labour

South Wales Argus:

For the past nine years I have been your Member of Parliament. In that time, whenever anyone has needed my help, I have been there for them.

I grew up in the South Wales Valleys in the 1980s under a Tory Government. I saw many of my friends leave school without a job and neighbours finding themselves without work after a lifetime in the same jobs. I was determined to do something about it.

When the local community in Cwmfelinfach campaigned against the waste transfer plant I was there standing shoulder to shoulder with them.

When the people of Pontllanfraith wanted to send a message about local cuts to their public services I marched in the streets alongside them.

Equally our green environment is a real gem. I want it to stay that way. I have been rated one of the greenest MPs in Parliament and have always worked hard to improve our air quality.

I am committed to encouraging more tourists to Islwyn because our green valleys are an under-tapped tourist destination.

To me, being an MP means being a part of our local community. It is why I hold an apprenticeship fair so young people can have the opportunity they deserve. This is now an annual event.

If you support me on December 12, I promise to stand up for you and your family and the issues which matter to you. I will never be more than a phone call away if you need me.

Zoe Hammond - Plaid Cymru

South Wales Argus:

Islwyn is my home, it’s where I grew up, live, work and I have chosen to raise my two sons.

Until now I haven’t seen myself as a politician, but more of a community activist involved in many local campaigns and projects, the school PTA and a serving town councillor. That's now changed.

We are all witnesses to the unprecedented decline in our frontline services due to the Conservative government budget cuts coupled with Labour’s mismanagement in Cardiff and in Caerphilly.

We are a nation with tremendous potential, yet a third of our children are living in poverty.

It is unacceptable that homelessness and rough sleeping is on the rise and that many working parents cannot feed their families without food bank donations.

It is unacceptable that our NHS is at breaking point and that we must fight in order to keep our local leisure centres and libraries.

It is unacceptable that welfare benefits are being taken away from vulnerable people who need them. None of this is inevitable.

It is time we acted on the things that matter to us here in Islwyn, and with your support I promise to be Islwyn voice in Westminster and not Westminster’s voice in Islwyn, as Islwyn matters as much to me as it does to you.

Catherine Linstrum - Green Party

South Wales Argus:

I joined the Green Party because I realised that time is running out to save our world for the future.

I recently campaigned successfully to stop the wasteful, short-sighted M4 relief road destroying more of our precious Welsh landscapes – a road that would benefit big business, increase climate change and do nothing for the people of the South Wales Valleys.

Now I’m standing in Islwyn because I believe that people deserve better. They deserve a bright future – a green future.

Green Party policies are exciting and bold. We’re not just about the environment. We want to ensure that every adult and child is raised out of poverty and has access to decent housing, health and education.

Young people are at the forefront of green policies, with a reduction in the voting age and with equality of pay in a living wage. We will tax big corporations and support local businesses.

The Green Party is the only party that puts the world we live in first.

We don’t waste time trying to score cheap political points. We’re not in it for the glory.

We have all the answers that we need in order to cut through the bad old ways that have brought us to this crisis point of environmental and social chaos. Our focus is on protecting the world, restoring social justice and creating a fully sustainable economy.

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Jo Watkins - Liberal Democrats

South Wales Argus:

I am standing for Parliament here in Islwyn because I want a brighter future for our children and grandchildren.

I want them to live in a society that is open and welcoming, where people are decent to each other, with good schools and hospitals and a clean environment.

There is so much at stake in this election. You don't have to accept this extreme version of Brexit that will wreck the future for you and your family, damaging our economy and public services.

I am married to Cris, a second generation steelworker. I understand the challenges our communities our facing with uncertainty around jobs and the changes in industry.

The vote to leave the European Union has distracted the government from addressing the very real issues in our economy.

As a mother of two school-age children, running my own small business I understand your concerns.

I am passionate about education, particularly early years and supporting children with special needs. Too many children are living in poverty and lack basic needs - as your MP I will fight for their rights.

As a keen environmentalist, I believe the climate emergency is the biggest issue of our times and needs immediate and radical action - not just to secure a safe and prosperous planet for future generations, but to give a much needed opportunity for growth in new skills, jobs and innovation across Wales.

Vote for me and the Welsh Lib Dems to stop Brexit and to build a brighter future together.

James Wells MEP - Brexit Party

South Wales Argus:

My wife Claudia and I moved here 13 years ago and fell in love with the place.

We have since had two children who go to school in the area.

I care deeply about the community, it’s where I spend time with friends and where my wife and I are raising our children.

I want Labour out because they have let us down.

I am the challenger in Islwyn because I have the Labour leave vote.

The Conservatives cannot win in Islwyn because traditional Labour voters will not vote for them in large enough numbers - their parents voted Labour and their grandparents voted Labour before them (59 per cent voted Labour in the 2017 General Election).

We need someone speaking for us in Westminster who has a stake in the community.

Someone who has neighbours, friends and family in the area.

I pledge to work with the Conservatives to deliver Brexit and hold them to the promises they have made to the British public.

Let’s face it, their record on trust isn’t great.

Vote for me, James Wells, and I will be your local voice in Westminster long after Brexit is delivered.