General Election 2024: What Northampton North candidates said about important issues in and around the town

This newspaper reached out to all seven of the candidates battling for the MP seat in Northampton North. We asked them all the same four questions about big issues affecting their constituency area.

The seat will be occupied by a new politician after the election, as long-standing Conservative MP, Michael Ellis, announced earlier this year that he will not stand in this year’s General Election.

So, if you are yet to decide who to vote for on Thursday July 4 – here is what some of the candidates said about each of the issues.

(Each candidates’ response is below each question. They are listed in alphabetical order, as per surname).

Reform UK candidate Antony Antoniou has not responded. Should answers be provided, they will be added into the article.

Littering and fly-tipping has blighted Northampton over the recent months, and years. If you are elected, with the additional powers of an MP, what will you plan to do to clean up the streets of Northampton?

Eishar Bassan – Green candidate

I currently participate in litter picking/reporting on the West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) app for fly tipping. I’d promote this/introduce “Green Credits” as a new earning way – these credits could be used for essentials under Maslow’s hierarchal needs [food, shelter, water etc].

Proactively – audit the waste management system; implement more bins with frequent collections and adopt the bottle recycling system in Germany (tying in with the credit system); educate schools and pupils within assemblies (showcase case-studies like the rubbish mountains in India); work with single-use industries to promote sustainable options/implement a tax on single-use corporations; and conduct local surveys for continuous-improvement.

Dan Bennett – Conservative candidate

Few things have the potential to spoil an area like litter. If elected, I would:

• push the council for an ambitious litter reduction strategy
• organise my own litter pick events with volunteers from the community
• get more closed-top public bins installed in areas such as Boothville, to prevent litter which has been correctly disposed of from finding its way onto the street
• Increase visible policing, as regular police patrols with even greater numbers of officers – something I am pushing for – would deter people from littering as well as other forms of antisocial behaviour

Paul Clark – Independent candidate

Collaboration with WNC:

• Advocate for increased waste management funding and efficient waste collection
• Push for more CCTV in hotspots and dedicated enforcement officers
• Lobby for tougher penalties for offenders

Community engagement:

• Launch public awareness campaigns on fly-tipping impacts and legal disposal options
• Support litter pick groups like the Wombles with funding and resources

Joint initiatives:

• Organise regular community clean-up events
• Develop incentive programmes for maintaining clean neighbourhoods

Reporting and feedback:

• Ensure user-friendly reporting systems and swift response to incidents
• Regularly monitor trends and gather community feedback

By working together, we can effectively combat fly-tipping in Northampton North.

Chris Leggett – Liberal Democrat candidate

The Conservatives have reduced council funding in real terms by 40 percent. This has meant that local councils are having to pick up the pieces, such as the escalating mental health crisis. The Lib Dems will give councils more power to determine how they distribute funds, e.g. provide multi-year settlements, boosting the supply of social housing, give communities more control over the number of second homes and short-term lets in their areas; allowing councils to increase council tax by up to 500 percent where homes are being bought as second homes. I will to ensure funds are distributed to the areas local residents want, including helping prevent fly-tipping and catching those responsible.

Khalid Razzaq – Workers Party candidate

I will push for stricter penalties and increased funding for waste management services to combat littering and fly-tipping. Collaboration with local councils and community groups will be essential to raise awareness and encourage community-led clean-up initiatives. Implementing frequent waste collection and adequate disposal facilities will also be key priorities.

Lucy Rigby – Labour candidate

We have a serious litter problem here and living in town it bothers me on a daily basis. The Wombles are incredible but the reality is they shouldn’t have to do what they do.

Labour have said that fly-tippers and rubbish dumpers will be given fixed penalty notices and we will ensure that those who make the mess, clean it up - that means clean-up squads of fly-tippers and rubbish dumpers. As your MP I’d make it one of my top priorities to ensure that WNC are able to provide services to the standard that we as residents deserve.

What measures do you intend to implement to help support and represent residents and businesses impacted the most by the rising cost of living?

Eishar Bassan – Green candidate

An increase in the minimum wage to £15 an hour, no matter the age, with the costs to small businesses offset by reducing their National Insurance payments; a move to a four-day working week (with this improves mental health and well-being through the appreciation of life (along this, promoting meditation would enhance the benefits of living and prevent consumerism from destroying the world’s natural resources); increase Universal Credit and legacy benefits by £40 a week (keeping up with inflation), with a long-term ambition to introduce a universal basic income = allowing everybody the security for a career, education, learning and living.

Dan Bennett – Conservative candidate

As a conservative, I want to reduce taxes for working people and businesses. That is why we plan to abolish National Insurance and end this unfair double taxation.

Having visited Northampton town centre since I was a toddler, I have seen the way Abington Street has transformed, with cafés, barbers and vape shops dominating the high street. We need to have a serious conversation about business rates, which make it difficult for stores to compete with online businesses. I strongly support a cut to business rates, and I feel we need to examine the future of rates in general.

Paul Clark – Independent candidate

Support for local businesses:

• Advocate for increased financial support, grants, and low-interest loans
• Push for tax relief measures like reduced business rates and VAT cuts
• Promote workshops, training, and local procurement policies
• Advocate for temporary regulatory flexibility

Support for residents:

• Campaign for increased financial assistance and expanded hardship funds
• Promote job creation, apprenticeships, and retraining programmes
• Push for affordable housing policies and capped utility costs
• Support food banks and essential item distribution

Community engagement and advocacy:

• Hold regular clinics for direct feedback and assistance
• Advocate for constituency needs in Parliament

Collaboration with local authorities and organisations:

• Partner with WNC and community organisations for coordinated support and effective strategies

Chris Leggett – Liberal Democrat candidate

In summary:

• Cut energy bills through an emergency Home Energy Upgrade programme
• Tackle rising food prices through a National Food Strategy
• Carers minimum wage rise by £2 per hour
• Free personal care based on need, not ability to pay
• Ensure that the first payment of Universal Credit is five day
• Restore the full rate of Universal Credit for all parents regardless of age
• Ensure Universal Credit covers life’s essentials, such as food and bills
• Carer’s Allowance increased by £20 per week
• Remove cap of child benefit and remove the two-child limit
• Reinstate student maintenance grants for low-income families
• Triple the early years pupil premium to £1,000

Khalid Razzaq – Workers Party candidate

To support residents and businesses affected by the rising cost of living, I will advocate for the immediate increase of the personal tax threshold to £21,200 for the poorest paid workers, effectively removing tax for two million low-paid workers. Additionally, I will support measures to cap energy prices and push for increased funding to local businesses to help them cope with rising costs.

Lucy Rigby – Labour candidate

The cost of living is the number one issue that residents raise with me. 14 years of the Conservatives has left too many families and businesses struggling.

Labour is the only party that will tackle the cost of living crisis - that means getting energy bills down, stabilising the economy, making work pay, getting food prices under control, delivering affordable housing, expanding access to childcare and introducing free breakfast clubs for all primary school children.

Importantly, we have said there will be no increase in taxes on working people, with no increase in National Insurance, Income Tax, or VAT.

Northampton has seen the many devastating effects of knife crime over the last few years, including among the young community. How will you work with PFCC Danielle Stone to reduce the number of incidents and educate young people in particular?

Eishar Bassan – Green candidate

Providing emergency bleed kits and staff training for night-time venues and providing more lighting and CCTV to fix ‘blind spots’ in areas of high knife crime - working with our PFCC allows better communication and strategy within the policing department to solve this complex problem. Attending school assemblies and being able to speak with young people is essential to gain further understanding. A holistic solution is required meaning we must understand why knife-crime happens firstly - this could be gang-related so providing more recreational activities for people to engage with could prevent gangs from evolving. Ideally, we’d abolish “kill or be killed”.

Dan Bennett – Conservative candidate

Every case of knife crime is awful, and the loss of life we have seen in Northampton is utterly tragic. Under the Conservatives, we have more police officers here than ever before, but if elected, I want even greater numbers, and I want to get them out on the street, rather than stuck behind desks.

It is important that people feel safe as well as actually being safe, so more visible policing is an absolute priority of mine. I will work with Northamptonshire Police to support them in ensuring officers are able to patrol your neighbourhood and keep you safe.

Paul Clark – Independent candidate

Community engagement and education:

• Develop youth programs with community centres and local schools
• Establish mentorship programmes and create job training opportunities

Enhanced policing and collaboration:

• Advocate for a visible police presence and community policing
• Use data-driven strategies to target hotspots and disrupt gangs

Legislative and policy measures:

• Support tougher penalties for knife offenses
• Push for early intervention programmes and strict knife sale regulations

Collaboration with the Police and Crime Commissioner:

• Develop a joint strategy with the PCC
• Engage community leaders and residents for feedback

By combining education, community engagement, policing, and legislation, we can reduce knife crime in Northampton North.

Chris Leggett – Liberal Democrat candidate

Adopting a public health approach to the epidemic of youth violence which identifies and treats risk factors. This means all bodies working closely together to prevent young people falling prey to gangs and violence.

• Investing in youth services that are genuinely engaging and reach more young people
• Making youth diversion a statutory duty so that every part of the country has a pre-charge diversion scheme for young people up to the age of 25
• Tackle the shortage of detectives by retaining more of them, recruiting where necessary
• Pay rises for police officers by making the Police Remuneration Review Body independent of government

Khalid Razzaq – Workers Party candidate

Addressing knife crime requires a multifaceted approach. I will work closely with PFCC Danielle Stone to enhance community policing and ensure a visible police presence in hotspots. Investing in youth programmes and educational initiatives that provide young people with positive alternatives and mentorship will be crucial. Collaboration with schools to implement awareness programmes about the dangers of knife crime will also be a priority, as well as more knife bins and amnesties so we can get rid of weapons from our streets.

Lucy Rigby – Labour candidate

The recent deaths and injuries from knife crime have been absolutely heartbreaking and I’m absolutely determined that we tackle it urgently - and I say that as a Mum above anything else.

I would work closely with our PFCC to implement our five point plan to tackle knife crime - that means tougher consequences for carrying a knife; intervention to stop young people being drawn into crime; a crackdown on the availability of knives; ending exploitation of our young people; and a coalition to end knife crime of community and faith leaders, families of victims and young people themselves.

What work will you do to support our public medical services? For example, wait times for GPs & A&E, mental health provisions like CAMHS and dentists (the ones that are yet to go private).

Eishar Bassan – Green candidate

I would push for a change in focus in the budget by prioritising the NHS (after the climate); a push for apprenticeships/other routes for people to become a medical professional (addressing supply and demand); a new contract for dentists to be rewarded for taking on NHS patients (linked to the “Green Credits” scheme); talk and promote mental health awareness (along with psychological safety) and neurodivergence awareness so more people are educated sooner (I’ve personally experienced this one!) Assisted dying is another topic which would alleviate pressures on loved ones and the NHS should this be agreed on by all parties involved.

Dan Bennett – Conservative candidate

Since 2019, Conservatives have delivered nearly 2.5 million more GP appointments every month. I want to continue this growth, and if elected, I will be banging the drum relentlessly for more funding to deliver even greater healthcare provision in Northampton.

I want to see more NHS dental appointments, and the Conservatives are pledging £200 million to make this a reality. We will also be investing an extra £4.6 billion in mental health services since 2019 in order to address the historic disparity between physical and mental health.

Paul Clark – Independent candidate

If elected as MP for Northampton North, I will prioritize securing developer funding for vital infrastructure improvements. We urgently need more GPs to meet demand, and it's unacceptable that many people can't access an NHS dentist. I've already had preliminary discussions with CAMHS about revising their processes and access. The current waiting times for all services are intolerable, and I will work closely with county and government officials to implement necessary changes.

I will be approachable and accountable to my constituents, ensuring their voices are heard. Personal statements detailing the pain and suffering caused by these issues will be central to my advocacy efforts.

Chris Leggett – Liberal Democrat candidate

We will add 8,000 more GPs, set a target for cancer treatment to begin within 62 days of an urgent referral, cutting air pollution that costs the NHS billions, ensure that everyone can see their GP within seven days, or 24 hours in urgent cases, ensure that more people can be treated by unclogging beds through fixing the social care and mental health systems, free up GPs’ time by giving more prescribing rights and public health advisory services to qualified pharmacists, nurse practitioners and paramedics. Watch Ed’s Story https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6LJEUKdjNI and know that the whole party are focussed on fixing care and the NHS.

Khalid Razzaq – Workers Party candidate

I am committed to fully renationalising the NHS, ensuring that healthcare remains free and accessible. I will push for increased funding to hire more medical staff and improve facilities to reduce wait times. I will also advocate for integrating mental health services into the primary healthcare system and ensure adequate funding for dental services to prevent them from going private.

Lucy Rigby – Labour candidate

We desperately need to get the NHS back on its feet and Labour is the only party that will do that.

Labour’s fully-funded plan will deliver an extra 40,000 appointments every week, fund a doubling of the number of CT and MRI scanners to catch life-threatening conditions earlier, train thousands more GPs, guarantee a face-to-face appointment for all those who want one (ending the 8am scramble), tackle the crisis in dentistry with 700,000 more urgent dental appointments and recruit 8,500 additional mental health staff in the first term of a Labour government.

Articles, similar to this one, for the other constituencies in West Northamptonshire have already been published on this newspaper’s website. Find the Daventry one here, South Northamptonshire one here and the Northampton South one here.