Liberal Democrat candidate Layla Moran holds the Oxford West and Abingdon constituency which she won from the Conservatives in 2015.
The constituency includes the town of Abingdon, the western and northern parts of the city of Oxford, and some of the colleges of the University of Oxford.
The other candidates are: Anni Byard - Social Democratic Party; Chris Goodall - Green Party; James Gunn - Reform UK; Josh Phillips - Independent; Vinay Raniga - The Conservative Party; Ian Shelley - Christian Peoples Alliance; and Stephen Webb - Labour Party.
We have contacted all the candidates to ask for their manifestos - why you should vote for them in the general election on July 4 - and most of them have responded.
Layla Moran
It has been an absolute privilege to represent Oxford West and Abingdon in Parliament ever since you elected me seven years ago.
In that time, I have done my best to put your priorities first. My wonderful casework team and I have dealt with over 65,000 items of casework. From passports to potholes, benefits to business rates, my team and I can’t wave a magic wand, but we always do our best to help. I’m incredibly proud of the work local Liberal Democrats and I have done from winning funding for the Lodge Hill junction, to winning bathing water status for Port Meadow.
But after years of chaos under this Conservative Government, our local area is facing some very real challenges. NHS services have left to suffer extraordinary pressure, especially GPs and dentists which many report they can no longer access in a timely way. After the Conservatives crashed the economy, so many families are struggling with bills, rents and mortgages. And Thames Water continues to fill our rivers with sewage while proposing a massive hike in water bills.
The election here is a clear choice between me and the Conservatives - as it has been since this seat was created. If I am fortunate enough to be re-elected, I will keep working day and night to be a strong voice for our health services, for our environment, and for our community.
Vinay Raniga
I will be your strong voice in Parliament and fight for you and your family as I fought on the frontline to save lives during the pandemic.
I live, work, and studied in Oxford and currently work as a local NHS dental surgeon in Summertown. During the pandemic, I voluntarily redeployed from head and neck Surgery to save lives on the frontline COVID-19 wards. I'm used to the hard graft—the 12-hour shift days—and committed to getting our area moving again.
My plan for Oxford West & Abingdon is to:
- Revitalise the NHS: I work in the NHS, so I will fight for more GP appointments, more dental appointments, faster referrals, better technology and easier access to care you need.
- Promote business: our small independent businesses in Oxford & Abingdon are at the heart of our community. I run a small business myself; I will always back you.
- World-class education: Education is the silver bullet to social mobility. We must stop Labour slapping a 20% VAT hike on our independent schools, which, they admit, will increase classroom sizes in our outstanding state schools.
- Improve local transport: This starts with stopping the traffic filters and LTNs and moves to investing in my positive plan to reduce traffic whilst supporting businesses, commuters, and our hospitals.
- Protect our countryside: we must protect our greenbelt and historic countryside. I stand against the Botley Solar Farm. Solar panels belong on roofs, not our fields.
- Build appropriate, affordable housing: I will fight to build appropriate homes on brownfield sites. Every young person deserves a home. That is why we are scrapping stamp duty under £425,000 for first-time buyers and building 1.6M more homes over the next Parliament.
Stephen Webb
Nothing in Britain seems to work anymore. People are waiting for hours on trolleys in A&E, crime is going unpunished, sewage is being pumped into our rivers, and mortgages are soaring through the roof.
After 14 years of decline under the Conservatives, it’s time for change. A Labour government would tackle the big issues facing local people.
Labour will end the Tory NHS backlog at our local hospitals by delivering 40,000 more evening and weekend appointments each week, paid for by cracking down on tax avoidance and non-doms.
Labour will tackle the climate crisis and switch on Great British Energy by slashing bills and creating new jobs with a publicly owned green energy company, paid for by a windfall tax on oil and gas giants.
In Oxford West and Abingdon, we have a clear choice between a Labour MP at the heart of a new Labour government, or another Lib Dem MP. Independent pollsters Survation have said the Conservatives have a zero percent chance of winning here.
Chris Goodall
I have dedicated many years to writing and researching about how we can move to a zero-carbon society, investing to make climate action succeed, and supporting community schemes to grow fresh vegetables locally.
I've seen again and again that the answers to the cost-of-living crisis are the same as the answers to the climate crisis.
The Green Party has practical, ambitious and affordable solutions to save people money, build affordable homes, properly fund our NHS and clean up our toxic rivers and seas.
The way people vote in Oxfordshire is changing, and we have seen more and more Green councillors elected across Oxfordshire.
The polls for Oxford West and Abingdon all show the Conservatives are not going to win here. So you can vote with your heart and lead the way on 4th July. A vote for me shows a Labour government that they must do better on inequality, the NHS, and the climate.
James Gunn
Britain is a remarkable country with immense potential, yet it's stifled by an overbearing, overtaxing, and divisive, technocratic ruling elite. The main political parties seem bent on de-industrialising the nation, destroying British culture, and governing through excessive regulation and political correctness. Public services are not delivering, while citizens struggle under a high burden, debt, and Net Zero policies, while career politicians fail. The legacy parties represent Decline.
Our policies include lowering the tax burden especially for the low-income families, controlling immigration, and cancelling Net Zero policies, restore justice and common law rights.
Oxfordshire need more cheaper housing and better roads for the traffic to flow
Our candidates are accomplished professionals, not career politicians. They are driven by a desire for better governance, not political ambition. Britons deserve transparent, accountable, and effective government and unifying leadership. If you want your country back, vote Reform on 4th July!
Anni Byard
The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has its roots in the 1980s ‘gang of four’ and the Limehouse Declaration. We are economically left and culturally traditional and know that the family is the bedrock of society.
Families need homes; we will build 100,000 social homes a year funded through a tax on private housing development of greenfield and undeveloped land. We will put a moratorium on buy-to-let purchases and regulate landlords.
Couples raising children will benefit from tax-sharing and children will get free school meals in term-time. We will invest in industry to allow communities to prosper while reducing reliance on imports to reduce costs and our huge trade deficit. A tax on online sales will be redistributed to our councils so they can fund community regeneration. We will support our farmers and invest in nature regeneration.
The SDP’s policies are pragmatic, honest and seek only to improve the lives of citizens. We are not beholden to big business or unions. Short-termism has harmed us for decades, with repeated cycles of irresponsible over- and underspending. Voting for the same tired duopoly will not achieve the long-term changes and prosperity people want to see. If you want something different, you must vote for it.
Josh Phillips and Ian Shelley have not yet responded.
Help support trusted local news
Sign up for a digital subscription now: oxfordmail.co.uk/subscribe
As a digital subscriber you will get:
- Unlimited access to the Oxford Mail website
- Advert-light access
- Reader rewards
- Full access to our app
About the author
Andy is the Trade and Tourism reporter for the Oxford Mail and you can sign up to his newsletters for free here.
He joined the team more than 20 years ago and he covers community news across Oxfordshire.
His Trade and Tourism newsletter is released every Saturday morning.
You can also read his weekly Traffic and Transport newsletter.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel