General Election 2024: Meet the Liberal Democrat candidate for Brighton Pavilion - Ashley Ridley

The eight candidates are Steve AI (Independent), Siân Berry (Green), Carl Buckfield (SDP), Tom Gray (Labour), Mark Mulvihill (Reform UK), Ashley Ridley (Liberal Democrat), Citizen Skwith (Official Monster Raving Loony) and Sarah Webster (Conservative).

Each candidate answered questions submitted by voters. Here are the answers from the Liberal Democrat candidate Ashley Ridley, 23, a football coach, who tweets @Ashleyridley5 and posts on Instagram as @ashleyridleylibdem.

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Why do you want to be an MP and how are you qualified for the role?

I want to be an MP as I do not come from a privileged background.

I want to change our political system to make politics more accessible to a wider range of people, including introducing voting at 16.

I’d like to see more opportunities for people with learning difficulties like me, as I have dyslexia and struggled in school.

I’ve also been in care so have first-hand understanding of how the care system works and where it needs improvement.

Finally, I’d be a champion for people struggling with mental health issues. My lived experience helps me understand why these people need support.

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If elected, how would you deal with performance and pricing problems in privatised utilities such as the water companies, railways, energy companies and the Royal Mail?

The profit these big companies are making while increasing prices for ordinary people in a “cost of living” crisis is shameful.

Of the many good policies in the Liberal Democrats manifesto, a favourite of mine is a windfall tax on the big energy companies.

The money from taxing their astronomical profits will go back into helping people with the cost of living and energy bills.

We would make regulations tougher so the water companies cannot pay massive bonuses to directors while still pumping sewage in our seas and we would sanction train operators who fail to provide a high-quality service.

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What would you do to help people who are struggling to rent or buy a home? Should second homes or Airbnb-style holiday lets be banned?

Airbnb-style letting should be better managed with licences limiting their numbers but I don’t believe they should be banned as people who work hard have the right to buy whatever they want.

They should, however, be taxed accordingly. The bigger issue isn’t the Airbnbs or second homes but the lack of investment and building of affordable social homes, which is something we as the Liberal Democrats have committed to do in the next parliament.

If we were in government we would build 150,000 social homes each year.

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What steps would you take to improve hospital performance, community care and access to GPs for patients in Brighton and Hove?

I would make sure that everyone has access to a GP within seven days and 24 hours for emergencies.

We would recruit 8,000 new GPs. We would also give those most in need a named GP to help keep them out of hospital where possible. By improving social care, we can free up valuable hospital beds.

We would look to properly invest in the NHS by establishing a fully independent pay review body so doctors and nurses get the pay they deserve. This will help increase the amount of doctors and nurses we retain and recruit and reduce waiting times.

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Events in Israel and Gaza have affected many members of the community here. What can people in your constituency expect you to say and do as an MP?

The events in Israel and Gaza are absolutely horrific and those who have committed war crimes should be investigated and brought to justice.

Both parties must sit around the table to work towards a two-state solution with an immediate ceasefire and release of hostages to end the pain and suffering of hundreds of thousands of people and the needless deaths.

I am someone who believes war should only be a last resort and should bring the least amount of pain and suffering possible so as your MP I will always advocate for peace and dialogue.

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Do you support the Royal Mail plans for Patcham Court Farm despite the threat posed to the aquifer there that provides much of the drinking water for Brighton and Hove?

On the Royal Mail plans for Patcham Court Farm, I am personally against it as there has not been enough done on the environment feasibility study.

There is a risk of pollution posed to the aquifer that provides the drinking water and this is something that we cannot allow to happen so, while there is a risk, I would strongly oppose this development.

If the developers came up with a way of ensuring that there was no contamination of the water then I would be in favour of the project.

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Polling stations are due to be open from 7am to 10pm on Thursday 4 July. Photo ID is required for those voting in person.