Following an old tradition, he sang an old Wiltshire song ‘Vly be on the Turmut’ on the balcony of the White Hart Hotel, ably assisted by musicians from the Cathedral School. I went down to the White Hart today and witnessed this slightly odd tradition. I quite enjoyed . . . → Read More: John Glen, MP for Salisbury]]> John Glen was elected Member of Parliament for Salisbury.

Following an old tradition, he sang an old Wiltshire song ‘Vly be on the Turmut’ on the balcony of the White Hart Hotel, ably assisted by musicians from the Cathedral School. I went down to the White Hart today and witnessed this slightly odd tradition. I quite enjoyed it – it’s worth going to if you’re in Salisbury the day after an election.

In his speech John said that the song was popularised by the Wiltshire Regiment returning from a war and that the song goes back 300 years.

The best of my fairly shoddy selection of photos is below.

For more on our new Member of Parliament:

• John Glen’s homepage is at www.johnglen.org/
• He is profiled on the Conservative website Conservative Home
• John has a page on LinkedIn
• John is a twitterer – you can follow his updates at John Glen (JohnPhilipGlen) on Twitter
• His two Q and As for this website are here:
• John Glen’s Q and A for salisburyandstonehenge.net and
• John Glen, Conservative candidate – Q and A

I care about Salisbury, I was born and brought up here. I believe politics can make a difference to people’s lives in Salisbury, when I went back to speak at Bishops, my old school, I got lost because it had been totally rebuilt, with money from a Labour government. I . . . → Read More: Tom Gann, Labour candidate – Q and A]]> Why do you want to represent Salisbury?

I care about Salisbury, I was born and brought up here. I believe politics can make a difference to people’s lives in Salisbury, when I went back to speak at Bishops, my old school, I got lost because it had been totally rebuilt, with money from a Labour government. I want to protect investment in our excellent schools, Sure Start centres and hospitals. It’s also easy to think that because Salisbury is so beautiful that we can on pretty well without political action but there are a number of problems in Salisbury, such as low wages and a lack of affordable housing, which I believe Labour has the policies to solve.

What would you most like to change in Salisbury?

More affordable housing to buy and rent.       

What do you think of reducing the tax take on veterans’ pensions? (David Bruce (davembruce) on Twitter)

I’m not sure. I suspect that, for example, spending money on ensuring that soldiers leaving the forces have the best possible housing is much more important. It’s absolutely right that payments through the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme are tax free and that Labour increased the amount of money paid out.
       
Do you support boundary changes? (Simon Marks (simonmarks100) on Twitter)
Could I ask a question regarding boundary changes? It would be interesting to find out when it happened and why we haven’t been informed. (Ann Robinson, Donhead – via email)

As populations change obviously it is necessary to make some alterations to boundaries and even for areas to gain or lose constituencies to try to ensure the election is fair so I do support boundary changes and I think the new boundaries for the Salisbury constituency are sensible.

What seems to be the main objection is perhaps not about the specifics of the decision but how the public were involved and consulted. The final report was in 2007 and it details that 765 people made some objection to the proposals, which were reconsidered in light of this (p. 466). Having read a bit of the report it is pretty complicated and, more importantly, formidably boring, unfortunately this presents quite a problem to getting voters engaged with the process.
The report is at: http://www.official-documents.gov.uk/document/cm70/7032/7032.pdf
if you have nothing better to do than read it.

What are the best and worst things about Salisbury council? (Simon Marks (simonmarks100) on Twitter)

Apart from our two excellent Labour councillors Iris Evans and Ian Tomes, the best thing is probably the way in which it functions as a valuable part of local democracy.

The worst things, apart from there not being enough Labour councillors, are the council’s lack of powers. It would be better, for example if powers to run the City Hall and more leisure services had been devolved. I think, and I hope these are just teething problems, people in Salisbury are unsure about what functions Salisbury Council are responsible for and what are the responsibilities of Wiltshire.

If you win, will you be singing on the balcony of the White Hart? (Simon Marks (simonmarks100) on Twitter)

I’m a terrible singer so you won’t want me to but I suspect I probably should.
         
What’s your position on the Digital Economy Bill? (Mark Timms (Pimmsoclock) on Twitter)
Do you think that there are more questions to be asked about the Digital Economy Bill and its new powers ? (StuRobson (StuRobson) on Twitter)

I think there are still questions to be asked. There are some good provisions in the bill particularly with stronger demands on Channel 4 having to support “innovative content”.

However, and I would have thought this is the main thrust of the question, I believe there are serious problems with the provision for cutting off people’s internet connections and blocking internet sites, we should be able to find a better way to ensure that people are paid for their work. Much more thought is required about how we think about property (and theft) in the light of technological developments. I’m also disappointed that the levy to fund rural broadband provision was lost.

How do you plan to engage with young voters? (Mark Timms (Pimmsoclock) on Twitter)

I think that social networking like Facebook and Twitter obviously plays a role. However, politicians sometimes rely far too much on the medium and not enough on the message. It’s much more important to address the issues which affect young voters in Salisbury. The point is perhaps to try to get across to young people that they can benefit from engagement in politics. Age Concern, quite rightly, when lobbying politicians make a lot both of the number of older people there are but also how likely older people are to vote, the situation with younger votes is not the same.
       
The current illogical situation of charging nothing for alterations to listed buildings but charging VAT at standard rate on repairs and maintenance is not in keeping with the pressure for a sustainable approach to building. Do the candidates support removing or reducing VAT on Building Repair and Maintenance work? UK MEPs from all parties backed a VAT cut in February last year but no obvious action has been taken on this. Are any of the Parties committed to this? (Jill Pearce, Publisher, Donhead Publishing)

To be honest I don’t know a great deal about this issue. VAT is always a complicated issue with many anomalies; hence the interminable is the Jaffa Cake a cake or a biscuit VAT case. I’ll look into this in more detail if elected.

What’s your stance on the closure at Porton Down? (Cliff Sullivan – Cliffsull’s Blog)

I don’t support the closure and I am sure that the other candidates feel the same. If elected I will work hard to keep it open. The point with Porton Down is not just about the jobs that will be lost at Porton Down itself if it is relocated but also the jobs that are supported by the spending of workers at Porton Down.

What actions will you each take to minimise your individual cost to the taxpayer? (Anon. from Twitter)

Quite rightly the expenses rules have been tightened up a great deal. Unlike many MPs I believe that an MPs’ salary is more than adequate so I won’t use expenses to top it up or take jobs outside Parliament. However, some expenses are justified and I believe what is more important is being as good value an MP as possible. Some expenses are quite clearly justified, indeed better MPs will often be spending more money on some expenses than lazy MPs. For example, expenses ‘Saint’ Ed Miliband spent far more on stationery and postage than Jim Devine, who is one of the MPs on trial for expenses fraud.

I will commit to making sure that every pound I spend as an MP will be in my constituents’ interest.

I would like to know how far reaching the support for small business really is – will it all vanish once elections over? (Tracy Ronan, Gaggle Gifts)

They certainly will be and we are promising more support for small business in the manifesto such as introducing the Small Business Credit Adjudicator with statutory powers to ensure banks lend to small businesses. Small businesses are obviously going to be a huge part of helping us to emerge from the recovery. We will for example be keeping the ‘Time to Pay’ scheme in place for as long as necessary.

Crucially, we will not be taking money out of the economy if re-elected. Premature Tory spending cuts risk, by increasing unemployment, a collapse in demand throughout the economy including demand for the services of small businesses.

Do you think the city of Salisbury should show more involvement with the football club, i.e sponsorship etc. ? (Michael J. Hill (MicKarchie) on Twitter)

I’m not quite sure what form this involvement would take. What I think should happen though is that, using the provisions in the Labour manifesto, the possibility of the fans buying some of the club could be looked at.

How would you encourage more business and jobs into the area? What do you think of the plans for the Market Place?

For me it makes sense to take these questions together as the Market Place plans, the Salisbury Vision more generally and the Core Strategy should do a great deal to help with encouraging businesses and jobs into the area. I think we do however need to make sure that the Fair can stay in its traditional location in the market place.

And the plans for Stonehenge?

I think they’re fairly good. At the moment when I’ve taken school trips to Stonehenge the students have often been disappointed, not by the stones themselves, but because of how much the roads and the inadequate visitors’ centre detract from the dignity of the stones.

The new plans respect the dignity of the stones far better, the removal of one road so Stonehenge so it is no longer at a fork in the road will fit the stones better into the landscape and having a better visitors’ centre in a simple building at a relatively long distance from the stones should impact less on the stones.

Are ‘Open Primaries’ a good thing?

I’m not convinced by Open Primaries. There are clearly advantages in engaging the electorate as a whole in the choice of a party’s candidate. In Salisbury the Conservative choice to have an Open Primary was clearly inspired by the belief that Salisbury is a safe Tory seat and that choosing the Tory candidate was the main opportunity for the electorate to decide on their MP.

What worries me though is whether Open Primaries marginalize party activists. Many voters, reasonably, expect candidates and parties to make an effort to get their vote and all of this is only possible when supported by party activists. Given how integral they are to the democratic process, I believe it’s vital that party activists are satisfied with their candidate.

If elected would you continue to communicate via Twitter?

Yes, I would.

What is your favourite….

….piece of music? It varies but at the moment I’m obsessed with James Carr’s ‘Dark End of the Street’.

….film The best film I’ve seen recently was ‘The White Ribbon’.

….book Proust’s ‘In Search of Lost Time’.

….view of the Cathedral I like the Cathedral up close because of the amazing attention to detail in filling every available space with a statue of a saint or bishop or a gargoyle whilst maintaining this incredible harmony.

Is there anything in the Salisbury Festival that you’re particularly looking forward to?

Lots, I’m looking forward to seeing Battleship Potemkin and Stalker on the big screen. Billy Bragg’s always brilliant so I’ll be going to see him and I hope the opening is as good as the Doctor Faustus on stilts with fireworks that opened the festival a fair few years ago.

The main theme of http://salisburyandstonehenge.net is the meanings of Salisbury’s road names. If you were asked to choose the name of a new road, who or what would you name it after?

As far as I can think of the two greatest people from Salisbury are Colin Newman from Wire and John of Salisbury, I’m not sure how you could get much of a road name out of either of them though. I’m not convinced by ‘John Road’.

I want to represent Salisbury as our MP for the simple reason that I am passionate about making our community a better place and I want to make a positive difference in local people’s lives. I have lived in South Wiltshire all my life and I now run a solar . . . → Read More: Nick Radford, Liberal Democrat candidate – Q&A]]> Why do you want to represent Salisbury?

I want to represent Salisbury as our MP for the simple reason that I am passionate about making our community a better place and I want to make a positive difference in local people’s lives. I have lived in South Wiltshire all my life and I now run a solar panel business here, it is my home. I’ve experience of Westminster, which will help if I’m elected, but most importantly I understand the people, places and local issues – and I think that will best equip me to get things done for Salisbury.

What would you most like to change in Salisbury?

In terms of a physical change, I would like to see Churchfields broken up and moved from its current site. I think that it is crazy to have an industrial park 5 mins walk from the heart of a mediaeval City and that it is the single biggest cause of the traffic problems we have in Salisbury – moving it would massively improve the quality of air, atmosphere and life in the City.

In terms of a more “cultural” change, I want us to renew a commitment to being a vibrant and ambitious community as we move into the future. With the wrong choices we risk becoming a “sleepy backwater” town, a danger I think we should reject. We need to ensure that there is a thriving economy with jobs and opportunities for local people; that the standard of local services remains high and investment improves in our underfunded areas, like schools and road repairs; I want us to reinvigorate our local democracy, taking back as much power as we can from the Trowbridge-based Wiltshire Council and putting it into the hands of local people; and I want to see us leading the way on making Salisbury an environmentally friendly city, increasing recycling rates, improving air quality and investing in public transport options (including opening new local train stations). I believe that because I have lived in Salisbury all my life, this local experience makes me best placed to lead our community towards this vision of the future.

What do you think of reducing the tax take on veterans’ pensions? (David Bruce (davembruce) on Twitter)

This is an interesting idea David. Liberal Democrat party policy is to reduce taxes for everyone on low incomes, including pensioners, by raising the tax allowance meaning that you would pay no tax on the first £10,000 you earn. This would be paid for by closing loopholes on the top earners. I believe this progressive policy should apply to everyone on low incomes and I don’t believe we need a special tax exemption for veterans.

Do you support boundary changes? (Simon Marks (simonmarks100) on Twitter)
Could I ask a question regarding boundary changes? It would be interesting to find out when it happened and why we haven’t been informed. (Ann Robinson, Donhead – via email)

The boundary changes to the Salisbury Constituency happened because Salisbury and Amesbury have grown in population in the last decade and the Electoral Commission try to keep all Constituencies the same size. I don’t ever remember being informed officially, I think that is a good point Ann. In terms of whether I support them or not Simon, the changes to do reduce the Tory majority and make the seat more winnable for the Lib Dems :-) but that aside I don’t think that people in the Nadder Valley share much culture with Westbury (having lived there most of my life I know that Salisbury is where the people there “look”), equally I don’t think that Larkhill, Durrington or Bulford to the north of Amesbury feel like part of Devizes, so these communities feel disenfranchised and these things are much more important than party political advantage and so no, I don’t support them.

What are the best and worst things about Salisbury council? (Simon Marks (simonmarks100) on Twitter)

Best thing: The City Council is a forum where local issues can be discussed, there is plenty of cross party discussion and the best interests of Salisbury seem to be put first. It also provides something of a balance to the concentration of power in Trowbridge with the Wiltshire Council.

Worst thing: They have far too little power, they are little more than a parish council and so have very limited ability to change things for the better. The Liberal Democrats want local government like this to be strengthened and given more power.

If you win, will you be singing on the balcony of the White Hart? (Simon Marks (simonmarks100) on Twitter)

No. Firstly, I want people to elect me on the basis of my ideas, character and policies not my ability to sing :-). Secondly, while tradition is important, there are some things that just need to change. I think the symbolism of the newly elected MP belting out some song from a balcony just after having been elected is just plain silly, and quite odd, it seems very “separate”, putting distance between the MP and the people they are supposed to represent. I have a general rule in politics which is that I try to keep to a minimum those things which a “non-politician” would never do. So for example I never wear a rosette –“ they make you look like a prize winning horse, when do you EVER see a normal person walking around with a rosette on!? They are a symbol that separates the politician from the people, and I don’t think that is the point of politics –“ I’m a human being first, politician second. Likewise, I think the singing from the balcony is one of these things that separates you from people so I won’t be doing it. What I have said is that I will make an address and take questions on the Guildhall steps the Saturday afterwards. Oh and finally, and perhaps most importantly, I’m a rubbish singer ;-)

What’s your position on the Digital Economy Bill? (Mark Timms (Pimmsoclock) on Twitter)
Do you think that there are more questions to be asked about the Digital Economy Bill and its new powers ? (StuRobson (StuRobson) on Twitter)

I recognise the need for some reform to the way the Digital Economy is regulated, but I really disagree with many of the proposals in the Bill (or indeed the Act as it is now, having been passed in the “washup”). I’m outraged about how it has been forced through by Labour and Conservative with hardly any debate. So Stu you’ll probably be pleased to learn that the Lib Dems opposed its passage and called for it to be delayed until the next Parliament where it could be properly discussed. More recently, Nick Clegg has said that we would repeal the Act should we have sufficient support in the next Parliament.

How do you plan to engage with young voters? (Mark Timms (Pimmsoclock) on Twitter)

Mark, I’ve worked hard over the last two years to engage with younger people on Facebook and Twitter, reaching 2000 friends and 700 followers. I’ll continue to communicate and engage with these people throughout the election period and indeed if I am elected as the MP. I’ve also got a good team of young people helping the campaign and I think this makes our campaign more approachable than most others for younger people. Also, the substance of what we have to say as a party is attractive to young voters I think, we represent a different way of doing things from the previous 65 years and the two old parties, and I think that the success of the “Rage Against the Machine / vote Lib Dem” Facebook group shows that we have a huge amount of support with younger people.

The current illogical situation of charging nothing for alterations to listed buildings but charging VAT at standard rate on repairs and maintenance is not in keeping with the pressure for a sustainable approach to building. Do the candidates support removing or reducing VAT on Building Repair and Maintenance work? UK MEPs from all parties backed a VAT cut in February last year but no obvious action has been taken on this. Are any of the Parties committed to this? (Jill Pearce, Publisher, Donhead Publishing)

Yes, I support removing or reducing VAT on Building Repair and Maintenance work. We’ve proposed a small increase on new builds to pay for this.

What’s your stance on the closure at Porton Down? (Cliff Sullivan – Cliffsull’s Blog)

Cliff, I’ve been campaigning hard on this issue ever since it came up earlier in the year. I had attended a briefing at Porton Down in September last year about their plans to redevelop their site, which would have provided a significant amount of investment into our area. It came as a huge shock to everyone to hear that they had changed their mind and that they are planning to relocate to Essex. It would be a big blow not only to the local economy but also the our country’s health protection capacity. The new site is not as suitable as Porton Down, the move goes against recommendations in the Lyons review (which calls for public sectors jobs to be moved away from London), many of the scientists would not make the move therefore disrupting the strong culture, tradition and history of health protection expertise that has built up locally and finally there is no significant cost saving to the HPA in moving the site to Essex – the reasons why the management are proposing the move are frankly baffling. I have campaigned against the relocation since it was announced earlier in the year. I’ve been up and down the Winterbourne Valley talking to local residents and business owners about the impact the move will have and I’ve also been collecting signatures for a petition to the Prime Minister calling for him to intervene – which you can sign here http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/keepHPAatporton/ I will be best placed to keep up the fight if elected as Salisbury’s MP.

What actions will you each take to minimise your individual cost to the taxpayer? (Anon. from Twitter)

If I am elected as Salisbury’s MP I have promised the following measures to reduce my cost to the taxpayer:

1. Not to claim for a second home mortgage.
2. Not to take 1st class rail travel at the taxpayers expense.
3. All my expense claims will have receipts.
4. All expense claims will be published in full on my website.
5. My guiding principle will be that I will only ever make an expenses claim for items directly incurred as a result of my duties as Salisbury’s MP.

If I don’t do these things, you can kick me out at the next election.

I would like to know how far reaching the support for small business really is – will it all vanish once elections over? (Tracy Ronan, Gaggle Gifts)

The answer to your question Tracy will depend on the result of the election. I run a small business myself (installing solar panels) so I understand the challenges that we face. One of the biggest problems we’ve faced is that banks are still not lending properly. Vince Cable our Shadow Chancellor is the right man to lead our economy and he is committed to getting the banks lending again. To give help to small businesses we want to put an end to the so-called “gold-plating” of EU rules, so that British businesses are not disadvantaged relative to their European competitors. We want to reform business rates, creating a fairer system where rates are based on site values rather than rental values and are the responsibility of local authorities, and we will make small company relief automatic.

Do you think the city of Salisbury should show more involvement with the football club, i.e sponsorship etc. ? (Michael J. Hill (MicKarchie) on Twitter)

Michael, I think that the football club is well supported by local people, crowds are normally between 1,000 and 4,000. I hope this continues because I think it is good for the community to have a thriving club. Should we show “more” support as you ask, well maybe, I think that is probably up to the football club to make itself attractive to local people (and businesses if it wants sponsorship) so that it is something the local people *want* to do.

What do you think of the plans for the Market Place?

I think that it is important to invest in “civic infrastructure” like the market place. The market place is the heart of our city and it is important that it is an attractive place that people want to come and that helps local business to thrive. I’m not convinced by the architecture competition that was held and I think that the Council have done a poor job of “taking people with them” in the project – it would have helped if our roads had been properly fixed before they embarked on this project. Finally, there are still outstanding questions about the existing traders getting their same spots back after the resurfacing, which I think needs more attention.

Are ‘Open Primaries’ a good thing?

I’m yet to really decide about this. They are a good thing because they “open up” the political process, but then it does devalue what it means to be a party member. I think if pushed I would say that they are a good thing.

If elected would you continue to communicate via Twitter?

Yes, I’ll continue to use Twitter whether I’m elected or not, it is very much part of my life.

What is your favourite….

….piece of music? Such a hard question, though right now its The Magnificent Seven theme tune, I find it is a great way to start the day on a positive!

….film WALL-E

….book Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson

….view of the Cathedral From the Cockey Down Site of Special Scientific Interest on the chalk down hills behind Laverstock.

Is there anything in the Salisbury Festival that you’re particularly looking forward to?

The talk by John Simpson, he’s a legend.

The main theme of http://salisburyandstonehenge.net is the meanings of Salisbury’s road names. If you were asked to choose the name of a new road, who or what would you name it after?

As one of only 4 places that has a copy of the Magna Carta on display in the City, I’d would choose “Magna Carta Lane” as a tribute to that ground breaking civil rights document.

Salisbury is my home, it is the city my mother, grandparents and great grandparents have lived in for most of the last 90 years. I grew up in Wiltshire too and I am keen to serve this constituency as I understand it and I believe I have the right blend . . . → Read More: John Glen, Conservative candidate – Q & A]]> Why do you want to represent Salisbury?

Salisbury is my home, it is the city my mother, grandparents and great grandparents have lived in for most of the last 90 years. I grew up in Wiltshire too and I am keen to serve this constituency as I understand it and I believe I have the right blend of experience; from ten years in business, from time in politics as an adviser to Party leaders ( including William Hague) and from 14 years of post university life experience – I am a magistrate, I am married with two step-children – to be an effective local constituency MP and powerful advocate for Salisbury and South Wiltshire’s interests in Parliament.

What would you most like to change in Salisbury?

I would love to reduce the congestion we face in our city centre and ensure the centre of the City develops in keeping with the character of the medieval city. I also hope to raise the profile of Salisbury as a tourist attraction. We cannot allow Salisbury to become a dormitory town where people live but don’t work. However, all development must be sensitive to the local cultural heritage which is rich and vibrant.

What do you think of reducing the tax take on veterans’ pensions? (David Bruce (davembruce) on Twitter)

I believe in increasing the basic state retirement pension by restoring the link to earnings but we need to recognise that veterans’ are a category of people that need special consideration given the service they have given our country. Veterans’ pensions should also be a top priority of the next Government. Too often in recent years the Government have not looked after our veterans properly – inadequate equipment in the theatre of war has been complemented by poor quality housing for veterans’ to return to as well as poor pay. I cannot promise anything but I will do all I can to lobby ministers in the next Government (many of whom I have worked with when an adviser to the party) to address this issue.

Do you support boundary changes? (Simon Marks (simonmarks100) on Twitter)

I support a smaller number of MPs – Conservatives have committed to reduce the number of MPs by 10%. This will mean that existing constituencies will have to grow so that we can reduce the number of MPs and save money for the taxpayer.

Could I ask a question regarding boundary changes? It would be interesting to find out when it happened and why we haven’t been informed. (Ann Robinson, Donhead – via email)

Boundary changes occur every 10 years or so to reflect changes in populations sizes as people move around. In Wiltshire, because the population has grown so much in recent years we qualified for an additional seat. A new seat was created in Chippenham, mostly formed from the old North Wiltshire seat. This meant that all of the existing constituency boundaries as of 2005 in the county were adjusted to fit in the additional seat. For Salisbury this meant that the constituency was reduced in size by about 20% and elements to the South West (Tisbury/Donheads etc) and North East (Durrington/Bulford etc) were lost to the new South West Wiltshire and Devizes constituencies respectively. This was widely reported at the time but nothing changed until the election was called.

What are the best and worst things about Salisbury council? (Simon Marks (simonmarks100) on Twitter)

Salisbury Council contains a number of committed local representatives from all parties who give a lot of time to the City – Cllrs Andrew Roberts, John Lindley and Paul Sample to name but three, their willing and sometimes longstanding commitment to the City is the best thing! However, since Wiltshire Unitary Council was founded last year Salisbury City Council enjoys less power and fewer responsibilities than before – this is a shame as people were used to having Salisbury District Council as it felt closer to the people. So I guess the worst thing is that they don’t have the power they used to enjoy!

If you win, will you be singing on the balcony of the White Hart? (Simon Marks (simonmarks100) on Twitter)

Yes of course. I have taken the precaution of looking up the words and listening to a recording of Robert Key in 2005. I am a traditionalist and a tradition that spans 300+ years should not be broken!

What’s your position on the Digital Economy Bill? (Mark Timms (Pimmsoclock) on Twitter)
Do you think that there are more questions to be asked about the Digital Economy Bill and its new powers ? (StuRobson (StuRobson) on Twitter)

I am a very reluctant supporter of the DEB which I think will need revision after the election. It includes controversial measures that could see the internet connections of illegal file-sharers suspended or copyright-infringing websites blocked. If we had a Conservative government after the election we remove bits of the legislation that give the media regulator, Ofcom, more power, we would ditch plans to replace ITV’s regional news bulletins with independently produced alternatives, and current provisions on orphan works and extension of licensing. The Bill could have been massively improved if there had been more scrutiny at the committee stage. Digital piracy is a very real problem for our creative industries whilst I accept that action needed to be taken to ensure the internet is a functioning marketplace and that copyright infringers do not get away with their actions scot free I am concerned that the Government rushed through the legislation without proper consideration of the implications.

How do you plan to engage with young voters? (Mark Timms (Pimmsoclock) on Twitter)

By not patronising them, by speaking to them directly about the issues that matter to them – tuition fees, the environment ( climate change) and education are usually very important as are concerns about local housing and jobs and tax levels. I will be debating at Bishop’s Wordsworth School on Friday 30th April at 7.30pm so I invite young people to come along and fire some questions at me!

The current illogical situation of charging nothing for alterations to listed buildings but charging VAT at standard rate on repairs and maintenance is not in keeping with the pressure for a sustainable approach to building. Do the candidates support removing or reducing VAT on Building Repair and Maintenance work? UK MEPs from all parties backed a VAT cut in February last year but no obvious action has been taken on this. Are any of the Parties committed to this? (Jill Pearce, Publisher, Donhead Publishing)

I see the logic of the argument – I agree with it. Sadly with a £160 billion + deficit we cannot make promises at this stage. I will take this idea on board and if elected will do what I can to understand the cost and impact it would have.

What’s your stance on the closure at Porton Down? (Cliff Sullivan – Cliffsull’s Blog)

Naturally, I am very concerned. I have been working closely with Robert Key (our outgoing MP) as he has lobbied Ministers on the matter. I will be keen, if elected, to take forward the three key arguments that to me make a powerful case for the jobs to remain at Porton. Firstly, we have all the investment in place, recent investment on upgrading the facilities at HPA Porton would be wasted if a move were to go ahead and in a time of tight budgets it seems foolish to waste money moving it elsewhere. Secondly, the Lyons Review, a government report, said that where possible government jobs should not be moved into the South East. Clearly, any proposed relocations to Harlow would contravene this principle. Finally, Porton Down does valuable international work and many of the foreign governments who have invested in Porton would be very concerned about moves elsewhere. This final consideration is critical. I have the letter ready to send on May 7th if elected and if there is a Conservative Government I know the Minister who would make the decision. I will be waiting for him when he arrives at his office.

What actions will you each take to minimise your individual cost to the taxpayer? (Anon. from Twitter)

I will abide by the letter and spirit of the new rules that govern MPs expenses. This involves not having a 2nd home and also not travelling 1st class. However, if elected I would do all I can to retain the excellent local team that Robert Key had in running the Salisbury MP’s office. This continuity would provide value for money and would also mean a continuation of the excellent local service that Robert Key offered Salisbury and South Wiltshire constituents.

I would like to know how far reaching the support for small business really is – will it all vanish once elections over? (Tracy Ronan, Gaggle Gifts)

I grew up in a small horticultural business in Wiltshire so my commitment will never waver. Our policy not to implement the Labour Government’s increase for employers’ national insurance contributions is a manifesto pledge that will not be broken. We need to re-balance our economy towards more private sector growth and more productive jobs in our country. We cannot go on with a bloated public sector economy which we cannot afford.

Do you think the city of Salisbury should show more involvement with the football club, i.e sponsorship etc. ? (Michael J. Hill (MicKarchie) on Twitter)

Of course – Salisbury City is a key part of our community. We need to get behind it and I would do all I can to promote our local club.

How would you encourage more business and jobs into the area?

Stressing the key strategic location of Salisbury as a City which connects the South West to the South East. We have excellent schools, a brilliant regional hospital and a very pleasant physical environment in which to live. I would be a passionate advocate for the City wherever I went.

What do you think of the plans for the Market Place?

I think they are ambitious and some early drafts were perhaps too elaborate but we are a way off seeing the final plans. I have had a number of conversations with the Director of Salisbury Vision and I look forward to holding further conversations. I will input ideas which may enable the final plans to lift the quality of the environment but won’t imperil the interests of our market traders and local residents who are nervous about radical changes which would be out of keeping with the historic centre of our beautiful city.

And the plans for Stonehenge?

Investment in Stonehenge is welcome but I am always concerned that the concerns of local residents are not cast aside. Locals will remain there far beyond the last Olympics tourist has gone home. I will seek urgent and early meetings to examine plans and ensure common sense is involved in all plans for development!

Stonehenge is one of the oldest monuments in world history and the only British one blighted closely by roads. There is a solution costing [the 'AR4 route'] less than a third of the rejected tunnel plan. Do you believe that such an option, rejected on extremely dubious grounds by the 2004 Public Inquiry, should be properly and publicly reviewed as a matter of prime national importance to the nation’s heritage? (see actsouthwilts.co.uk > Projects > Stonehenge) (John Ellis, The Association of Council Taxpayers, South Wiltshire)

I have seen ACT’s plans and I am happy to offer a formal fresh examination of them after the election. But I need to be convinced that there is a realistic prospect of a different outcome occurring from a public review. It may be we need to develop a fresh approach.

The emerging Local Plan is dominated by government imposed housing and employment development targets beyond the local needs. Development which will urbanise large tracts of green field land in a unique combination of rural and heritage countryside. If you agree, what can you as an Party promoted MP do to stop this objectionable process? (John Ellis – The Association of Council Taxpayers)

A Conservative Government will stop the local plan and allow local people (not an unaccountable Regional Planning body) to determine the future housing and employment needs of Salisbury and South Wiltshire.

Are you aware of the divide and conquer consequences of unitary local government on local issues with a bunch of Boards and one central Council replacing the functions of the well established former Districts working closer to the people. Do you consider that unitary system, bringing marginal financial savings, will prove to be beneficial for the electorate? (John Ellis – The Association of Council Taxpayers)

I am doubtful but I hope we can see greater financial savings than you fear. Politics has to be about practical solutions. Regardless of whether unitary councils were right or not (I happen to believe they weren’t the right path to go down) we must now work to make them work and do all we can to ensure that the interests of Salisbury and South Wiltshire are well represented under this new system. Going over past decisions won’t change anything at this stage.

The monster emerging in the Core Strategy is the approval for a proposed Regional Distribution Centre in Solstice Park, Amesbury, close to a large residential area built since the demise of the NAAFI warehouse. It will work day and night 365/24/7 and clog roads for miles around to the detriment of hundreds of local electors. The present government will not listen to the objections. Will you and what action would you take? (John Ellis – The Association of Council Taxpayers)

Of course I will listen to the objections. No development should be encouraged unless it can properly address the concerns of local residents. As someone who has spent most of his life in Wiltshire I want to preserve the quality of life for those who live on the edge of Amesbury and would be subject to the risk of noise pollution and worse going forward.

Are ‘Open Primaries’ a good thing?

Open Primaries are a modern and open way of selecting candidates to stand to be a Member of Parliament. I was the only candidate to be selected in such a way and I welcome the fact that nearly half of the 473 people who attended the Salisbury Open Primary to select me were not Conservative Party members. The other candidates were presumably selected in closed door meetings of their own party members – this is not as open. However, it was a tough battle and I was happier when the process was over!

If elected would you continue to communicate via Twitter?

Yes, I will use Twitter but possibly less frequently than now. My wife and the children get a bid fed up with me always reaching for the blackberry but I think it is a useful way of communicating with the public

What is your favourite….

….piece of music? Handel’s Messiah

….film Goodbye Mr Chips (1939 edition)

….book The Bible

….view of the Cathedral From my front door in Gigant Street – each day I walk out I think how fortunate I am to have the chance to represent Salisbury in Parliament. The Cathedral spire – standing at 404 feet tall is the first thing that I look to.

Is there anything in the Salisbury Festival that you’re particularly looking forward to?

I hope to attend many events – especially those where local people are involved. I have met the team who have put together the programme – it is impressive and ambitious. However, if elected I will have a lot of work to do as a new MP so I may be restricted as to what I can find time for – serving Salisbury will come before my leisure time!

The main theme of http://salisburyandstonehenge.net is the meanings of Salisbury’s road names. If you were asked to choose the name of a new road, who or what would you name it after?

Robert Key Way – after an outstanding local MP who has been a brilliant representative for Salisbury for 27 years. He has helped so many people and it would seem fitting to remember him in this way.

The questions and answers are on the following pages:

The other candidates standing are:

The first is Salisbury Daily Photo. Salisbury Daily Photo is one of a growing number of ‘daily photo’ blogs – the author takes and publishes pictures of their home city. It’s not dissimilar in theme to the stuff I’ve published on this website in the . . . → Read More: Two great Salisbury blogs]]> There are a couple of Salisbury blogs that I really like.

The first is Salisbury Daily Photo. Salisbury Daily Photo is one of a growing number of ‘daily photo’ blogs – the author takes and publishes pictures of their home city. It’s not dissimilar in theme to the stuff I’ve published on this website in the ‘Photos’ category, but the photography is much better!

If you enjoyed the recent ‘Salisbury in Detail’ book then you’ll like Salisbury Daily Photo

The second is the Across the Bourne blog, which has recently moved from being hosted on WordPress to being hosted by the Salisbury Journal.

The author is an American who has moved to Laverstock, and he has a really interesting perspective on living in Salisbury – and supporting Southampton.

Jeremy’s introduction on the party website says:

Being able to help, and get results, for all constituents, is why I want to be MP for Salisbury. With a . . . → Read More: Q&A with Jeremy Quin – candidate for Salisbury Conservative nomination]]> I’m pleased that all of the candidates for the Conservative nomination to be Salisbury’s next Member of Parliament have agreed to answer a set of questions for this website.

Jeremy’s introduction on the party website says:

Being able to help, and get results, for all constituents, is why I want to be MP for Salisbury. With a countryside and cathedral City background, married, with experience of a senior role in HM Treasury and 18 years in business/finance, I will work tirelessly and always put Salisbury first.

Why do you want to represent Salisbury?

I want to have the opportunity to serve what is a great community. I’ll never forget my first visit to Salisbury as a child, it is a stunning place and I found in my weeks campaigning that the people of the constituency are as warm and genuine as Salisbury is beautiful. To be able to serve them in the same tradition as Rob Key would be a dream come true.This bit of text will hopefully be invisible.This bit of text will hopefully be invisible This bit of text will hopefully be invisible

What would you most like to change in Salisbury?

The traffic – especially the lorries in and out of Churchfields.

How would you encourage more business and jobs into the area?

Encouraging people to live and work here is easy – the schools, local NHS and quality of life sell themselves. What constrains us is the constant balancing of higher growth and protecting the very quality of life that we all value. South Wilts needs both more private sector jobs and more affordable housing but development must be sensitive to local concerns.

What do you think of the plans for the Market Place?

I have been assured by Salisbury Vision that plans will be subjected to full consultation – which is critical. Although there are aspects of the scheme that I think are just over-the-top and I don’t like, I am of course pleased by the prospect in principle of investment in the city centre – but can we please fill all the potholes and fix the pavements first!

And the plans for Stonehenge?

I’m in favour of the new visitor centre. Its gone on embarrassingly long and we should get on with it. Better tourist facilities at Stonehenge may though have a negative impact on time spent by day-trippers in Salisbury: we need to persuade more visitors to use Salisbury as a hub for longer stays.

How could the transport links in and out of the city be improved? What should take priority – road or rail?

So much money and time has been spent on addressing this issue that I’m reluctant to come out with my own sweeping answers – but I have already been told several intriguing ideas by local residents that don’t appear to have made it into the expensive reports! This is a huge problem for the city and will be a major ongoing issue for any successful candidate.

Which previous Conservative leader do you most admire? Why?

Churchill (no explanation required!) and Robert Peel (Prime Minister in the 1840s) who was prepared to put the welfare of the people of the country above all other considerations, whatever the dire personal and political consequences.

What’s been the worst failure of the Labour government?

Due to their borrowing on our behalf every child owes £22,500 from birth in national debt and they are still borrowing a stack of pound coins the height of the cathedral spire every 6.5 seconds – if this goes on services we all rely on will come under real threat.

What has been the most significant achievement by the Labour government?

Independence of the Bank of England – which means the Governor can and does criticise the Government for getting it wrong.

Should we have a referendum ‘about Europe’? When? What question should be asked?

We need to get powers returned to the UK. If we fail to turn the tide it may come to a future referendum though we must try on behalf of all the people of Europe to reverse the federalist express first. In negotiating with the EU we must remember that the UK is one of the world’s top trading nations and a major European market to which they need access – this is NOT a one-way discussion!

Would you maintain the minimum wage?

Yes

What are the advantages and/or disadvantages of ‘Open Primaries’?

There are huge advantages. The Conservative candidate if elected will serve all the people of this constituency and all of them are being given a role in selecting who that will be.

Would you support Proportional Representation?

No. I think it leads to weak Government and it reduces the electorate’s ability to dump failure.

Is ‘big business’ spoiling football? Should the government be more involved?

I regret that football has become so money dominated but this is an international issue – for the Premier League to have the best players they have to pay for them. I don’t think we want heavy Government interference but I do think that sporting events play a huge role in the life of the nation and I am not at all sure enough of them are available on free-to-view TV.

What is your favourite piece of music?

A Fairytale of New York by Kirsty MacColl and the Pogues

What is your favourite film?

Slumdog Millionaire

What is your favourite book?

Do I get the Bible and Complete Works of Shakespeare for free? If so Captain Corelli’s Mandolin by Louis de Bernieres

What is your favourite view of the Cathedral?
From the city side approaching through the High Street gate to the close – that was from where I first saw the cathedral, it made a huge impact then and still does now.