Polling Day is almost upon us and we've done a deep dive to find out more about your Parliamentary candidates in Bicester.
The candidates for Banbury are: Victoria Prentis (Conservatives), Sean Woodcock (Labour), Liz Adams (Liberal Democrats), Arron Baker (Green), Paul Topley (Reform UK), Cassi Bellingham (Independent), Chris Nevile (Climate Party) and Declan Soper (Social Democratic Party).
We asked each candidate to tell us why they should be your next MP
To read about why the candidates believe you should vote for them, click here.
We asked each candidate to tell us more about themselves:
Victoria Prentis, Conservative
Why did you decide to stand? My family have always been very keen on public service. I have been a school governor, a church warden and organised the village nativity every Christmas.
I made a promise to my daughters that I wouldn’t consider standing for Parliament until they were both in secondary school.
When Sir Tony Baldry announced he was standing down in 2014, my youngest had just started Year 7. It felt like the right time to put my name forward.
What is your main topic of interest within politics? Having grown up in the area I have always been keen to ensure our local issues have a strong voice at Westminster.
I was seven years old when I made a little speech about the future of maternity services at the Horton at school, and four generations of my family have been treated there. Its future matters to me.
Spending my childhood on the family farm has also given me a deep understanding of the importance of producing food.
During the pandemic, I was minister for food and farming. I will always do what I can to support our farmers to produce food in a sustainable way.
What, in your opinion, is the biggest issue facing the nation right now? We are living in a very unstable world.
Before I was elected in 2015, I spent most of my career working as a government lawyer, specialising in justice and security.
For the past 18 months, I have been the Attorney General and have once again been advising on military law in the very uncertain times in which we live.
In the next decade, we will face challenges to our energy and national security. We must have a clear plan to secure the future of our nation and society
Away from politics, what are your main hobbies in your free time? At home, we keep livestock and make honey. We host the annual Apple Day celebration in the autumn when many people help us to harvest our apples which we turn into our own cider.
I am very family-focused, so enjoy spending time with them. Reading, particularly detective fiction provides some escapism. I also enjoy giving my time to charitable work.
I set up and chaired the fund for children at the Horton and John Radcliffe until I was elected to parliament and set up Singing for Syrians in 2015 to raise money for the most vulnerable people who remain in Syria.
What would you want to be your meal if it was your last? I have always loved cooking, particularly for large numbers. You can't beat a roast followed by an apple and blackberry crumble with custard.
Sean Woodcock, Labour
Banbury has so much potential particularly great transport links and proximity to drivers of economic growth in the Oxford to Cambridge Arc.
Yet it retains significant deprivation while lacking vital infrastructure and seeing services close, in the case of Banbury courthouse, or be downgraded in the case of the Horton Hospital.
Banbury deserves a representative for it in Westminster, not the other way around and that is what I am determined to be.
What is your main topic of interest within politics? Housing insecurity and vulnerability lay at the root of so many problems; health, education, crime, poverty, you name it.
Our housing market is broken; serving only vested interests like property developers and hedge funds with large property portfolios.
Tenants suffer poor conditions and see rents skyrocket but if they complain still face the threat of losing their homes because of broken Conservative promises to scrap so-called ‘no-fault evictions’.
Getting on the property ladder has got harder rather than easier for young people while local rural communities feel vulnerable to speculative development.
What, in your opinion, is the biggest issue facing the nation right now? The prospect of five more years of Conservative decline is one that I worry about because of what they’ve done to this country.
Do readers feel better off after 14 years of the Tories? Are the streets more safe? Are our public services working better? Are our borders more secure? Is it easier to buy your first home?
Ultimately, this election is about the Conservatives’ record and the damage that they might do if given more time.
Away from politics, what are your main hobbies in your free time? Football has always been a passion of mine, and so it’s quite a challenge having to conduct this campaign while the Euros is on.
My wife and I also quite enjoy going to play bingo at my local pub on a Sunday evening.
What would you want to be your meal if it was your last? I think the correct answer to any food-based question is ‘fish and chips’ which for me always comes with mushy peas, curry sauce and a can of coke.
Liz Adams, Liberal Democrats
Why did you decide to stand? I have been through very difficult experiences. I came from a low-income background, lived in social housing, and survived an abusive relationship.
I know what challenges I faced as I studied and worked to gain a better standard of living for myself and my children.
I am now a family and education law barrister and have experience working with some of the most vulnerable people in society, including children at risk.
I witnessed first-hand just how damaging the impact of poverty can be. These experiences drive me to stand up for others and fight for improvement to the system.
What is your main topic of interest within politics? I have long fought for policies to improve social mobility and standards of living.
Due to my work and experiences, I am very passionate about SEN and disability provision, which goes hand-in-hand with improving health and social care provision.
I have also worked for many years on national policy to tackle domestic abuse.
I have a real interest in the impact of AI and new technology on our lives and the economy and I sit on the Lib Dem federal policy group for science and technology.
I am also a passionate defender of the environment and tackling the climate crisis.
What, in your opinion, is the biggest issue facing the nation right now? There are three enormous issues facing not just the UK but the world: Russian aggression and the build-up of global conflict, the climate crisis, and the impact of AI and automated technology if not utilised and managed properly.
All of these things are being fuelled by division and pose a real threat to the UK’s security and the future of humanity.
We need competent people in power who will work to resolve these issues for the good of our communities, not people with vested interests or those who would allow their own power grabs to put us all in danger.
Away from politics, what are your main hobbies in your free time? Between politics and my job, most of my remaining free time is taken up being mum’s taxi and supporting my children with their extra-curricular pursuits.
I am a ‘dance mum’ and can be found on any given weekend helping with hair and make-up, pinning up costumes, or driving to a far-flung sports hall for competitions.
I enjoy live music and festival events (which the government needs to do more to support!). I love hiking and being outdoors.
I was a scout when I was younger and our walking/camping adventures have always stayed with me as brilliant memories.
What would you want to be your meal if it was your last? It would have to be some sort of pasta, maybe pesto or a creamy mushroom-style sauce.
I’d have to have some nachos maybe as a starter, as they are a favourite. If we’re having dessert, definitely tiramisu.
Arron Baker, Green Party
Why did you decide to stand? I’ve always committed myself to working hard in whatever I’ve done in life, and that has merged over time with a deep-rooted sense of helping and supporting others.
This is reflected in my current role where I work with employees and employers to achieve mutual benefit. Seeing the challenges our country has faced over the last 15 years, I felt it was my duty to stand up and use my knowledge and experience.
Which includes helping residents achieve the change we all desperately need through collaboration and dialogue.
The opportunity to stand and serve the public is also deeply rewarding concept for me.
What is your main topic of interest within politics? I want to move away from short-term decision-making and adversarial politics.
Our elected representatives should work together to tackle the big issues we all face, approaching these challenges with a common sense of duty rather than party political interests.
Decisions need to be made with longer-term commitments to ensure that change becomes a reality, benefiting everyone rather than serving the interests of a few.
What, in your opinion, is the biggest issue facing the nation right now?
The biggest issue facing the nation, and indeed the world without doubt is biodiversity loss followed closely by climate change.
We are at a critical juncture in history where our actions or inaction will determine the future lives of our children and grandchildren.
Addressing these environmental crises is imperative for ensuring a sustainable and healthy future for generations to come.
We need cross-party consensus on these issues that go above and beyond party interests.
Away from politics, what are your main hobbies in your free time? I try to get to the gym twice a week and swim on Sunday mornings.
I also love taking the dogs out locally around Chipping Norton at the weekends. My wife does a fantastic job walking them during the week, so I get the easy bit. I’m very lucky to have two amazing grandchildren, and I cherish spending time with them.
As most of my work now is office-based, I miss the hands-on work I used to do, so any task where I can make or repair something always goes down well.
What would you want to be your meal if it was your last? Now that’s a tough question!
If it was my last meal, maybe give me a bowl of roast potatoes, mince sauce, and gravy. I think I’d be a happy man.
Paul Topley, Reform UK
Why did you decide to stand? Shortly after joining Reform UK, I was asked if I would consider standing as a candidate as they wanted to field someone in every constituency to give those who wished the opportunity to vote Reform UK.
A couple of days after passing my interview Sunak called the election.
What is your main topic of interest within politics? We’ve lost our way. My late parents and grandparents simply wouldn’t recognise the country or understand the mess we’re in today.
From a failing health service, through huge national debt, uncontrolled immigration to pollution in our rivers and seas. We need a fresh approach based on common sense.
What, in your opinion, is the biggest issue facing the nation right now? Debt. It’s unsustainable, the interest is now the same as our spend on Education.
Our generation is spending more than we can afford and leaving the bill for the next one.
Away from politics, what are your main hobbies in your free time? Fishing, shooting, cooking, travelling, football and cricket.
What would you want to be your meal if it was your last? That is a difficult one as my answer will not always be the same depending on mood.
Either a Sunday roast with all the trimmings and a good bottle of red or a curry with a couple of pints.
Cassi Bellingham, Independent
Why did you decide to stand? When Labour abandoned the Green new deal and its moral responsibility to future generations.
If they’d selected a local candidate I was confident would continue to advocate for these policies internally, I likely would not have thrown my hat in the ring.
Instead, they selected a councillor who once welcomed a private social care lobbyist to address a local Labour branch meeting.
There was uncertainty whether the Lib-Dems and Greens would run a candidate here and I wanted to ensure there was someone on the hustings platforms exposing the disaster of privatisation.
In the end, Labour's choice of candidate galvanised a flurry of other candidates so I needn’t have worried.
What is your main topic of interest within politics? I’ve campaigned on climate issues and against private finance initiatives in our public sector for over three decades.
In particular, Industrial Just Transition which focuses on how we strategically move our industry to green tech, while protecting jobs and the communities built around fossil fuel production.
One side of my family hails from mining stock and experiences from the front lines what happens when an industry is allowed to collapse with no transition plan.
We have the data and tools to plan for this, it’s unconscionable that neither party are.
What, in your opinion, is the biggest issue facing the nation right now? The complete collapse of our public sector from the inside out after more than a decade of underfunding, privatisation and ideological attack.
Private companies have made record profits whilst failing to maintain infrastructure, pay staff appropriately or plan for future needs.
With three decades of service in the NHS and Armed Services, I’ve seen this happening in real-time.
All of this means we are ill-equipped to cope with the havoc climate change is about to reek on our agriculture, food security, and the wider economy.
We are on the cusp of a change that no-one is ready for because private companies don’t do preventative work: there’s no profit in it.
Away from politics, what are your main hobbies in your free time? Free time is a bit of a precious commodity at the moment but when I do get some, I love wild swimming and camping. My tent has already had a few outings this year.
I’m a keen writer and have published professionally in healthcare fields and have a fantasy fiction novel out there.
Writing is more of a hobby than a job but it pays enough for the annual trip to my folks (who very rudely moved abroad 20 years ago).
I like pottering in the garden and growing herbs which my two little kittens like to supervise and on Sunday will often see my partner and social circle round for a glass of wine.
What would you want to be your meal if it was your last? I love food far too much, as the growing waistline will attest to.
I’d be hard pushed to find one meal that’s a favourite but there would definitely be cheese of some description and a nice bottle of red wine. Perhaps one of those bistro platters with a bit of everything on it.
Chris Nevile, Climate Party
My generation has been inspired by the Natural World. We owe it to our children to preserve and restore it.
I find the destruction of our soil fertility, fauna and flora and the reckless pollution of our rivers intolerable.
My main objectives in standing :
- Government to meet its commitment to Net Zero 2050 by 2030.
- Incentivise UK manufacturing to create a clean energy powerhouse.
- Stop effluent pollution of our rivers.
- Help farmers transitioning to sustainable farming.
- Promote community health.
- Affordable and sustainable housebuilding.
What is your main topic of interest within politics? My main interest lies in the areas of the environment, agriculture and food manufacturing.
I grew up on a family farm in Lincolnshire which I remain very involved in. I worked for nearly all my career in the financial industry advising on investment.
Ethical and sustainable investing formed a growing part of my work.
I have enormous admiration for the small but growing number of heroes and heroines who have championed sustainable agriculture and food production.
They need and deserve a voice at the centre of our society to counter the powerful lobby of the status quo.
What in your opinion is the biggest issue facing the nation right now? If Britain was a business it would be having difficult discussions with its creditors.
Our national debt has ballooned to a level that we now pay over £8 billion a month in interest.
The NHS and Welfare budget annually is approaching 50 per cent of Government spending. Inevitable demographics mean we are moving to a society with less work and more retired.
Simply loading more on a declining tax base will only exacerbate the problem – this can only be solved by calm heads and cross Britain cooperation.
Away from politics, what are your main hobbies in your free time? Listening to music of all sorts. Especially live and my favourite band is Police Dog Hogan.
Playing tennis, cinema with the family, watching Rugby, especially Northampton Saints and walking the hills and dales of the UK ideally with my lurcher Fred.
To recharge I am drawn to the beautiful rivers of the UK and love fishing (catch and release of course!).
What would you want to be your meal if it was your last? Starter - vegetable tempura and my wife Caroline’s spicy coriander dip washed down with a pint of Timothy Taylor ale.
Main - local grass-fed organic rib-eye steak, with broad beans, peas and courgettes from my veg patch with brand new potatoes. Maybe a glass of Merlot.
Dessert – To hell with the calories and sugar – a large portion of Sticky Toffee Pudding and cream.
Declan Soper, Social Democratic Party
Why did you decide to stand? I'm frankly fed up of being ignored.
I joined the Social Democratic Party in 2021 after reading their new declaration pamphlet online and was struck by how much it reflected my internal understanding of what is wrong with our country.
This year, we are fielding 122 candidates nationally, and I hope that readers will look us up.
What is your main topic of interest within politics? Probably public transit and how we could use the railways for more efficient transport of goods.
I would like to see the railways expanded to at least its pre-Beeching Axe height. I
believe this would free up a lot of congestion on the roads, as heavy goods deliveries will be moved to the railway. The Swiss are very good at this.
What in your opinion is the biggest issue facing the nation right now? Housing has to be the biggest issue. It's the backbone of everything.
Houses are in high demand, leading to high prices, which becomes a barrier to young people wanting to move out and start families.
If we make it difficult to do this, we end up stifling social mobility.
Away from politics, what are your main hobbies in your free time? I became an allotment holder last year, so I'd say gardening. I'm not very good at it — yet!
What would you want to be your meal if it was your last? You can't go wrong with the humble steak pie and chips.
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