General Election 2019: Meet the four who are vying for your votes in North East Cambridgeshire on December 12

In alphabetical order:

Steve Barclay - Conservative

“I am proud to call North East Cambridgeshire my home and to have represented our community for the last nine years.

“I’m seeking re-election because I want to continue to secure the investment our community needs to be the best place to live and work.

“Nationally, I’ve been serving as Brexit Secretary over the last year and have negotiated a new deal that delivers on the referendum result.

"The majority of people in Fenland and East Cambs voted leave. But regardless of how you voted in the referendum, it is important to our democracy to respect the result and end the deadlock in Parliament.

“Our constituency has never had an MP in the Cabinet before and I am working hard to ensure our community is on the map when national investment decisions are made.

“One of my proudest achievements was to secure ‘National Opportunity Area’ status for Fenland and East Cambs. This means our local schools are getting additional investment including free professional training to school staff, helping our area attract and retain the best teaching talent.

“Ensuring healthcare remains local remains a key focus of mine. By protecting and enhancing our Minor Injury Unit sites in Wisbech, Doddington, and Ely and opening the £8m upgrade at North Cambs hospital earlier this year, I have made sure local people can access services closer to home.

“Having secured funding for sports and community groups, including £250,000 for Active Fenland, I will continue to work with local groups to attract more investment for our community.

“The Conservatives are the only party that will deliver Brexit; the other candidates here either want a second referendum or to stop Brexit altogether. Once we’ve left the EU, we can unlock the opportunities of Brexit and unleash the full potential of our fantastic country.”

Diane Boyd - Labour

Diane is a barrister, specialising in criminal law and has worked in Peterborough and across Cambridgeshire for many years.

She has been a member of the Labour Party since 2010 and has actively campaigned on issues including homelessness and closure of local services.

She said: “The people of North East Cambridgeshire need an MP they can all believe in and will put them first.

“They deserve an MP who listens and understands the diverse needs of those who live in the constituency.

“People need to know this general election will be a choice between a Labour Party that will stand up for the many or a Conservative Party that only looks after the privileged few.

“In my professional capacity as a criminal barrister, I connect, listen and communicate with people from all walks of life on a daily basis, speaking up for those that can’t.

“My passion for giving others a voice drives my desire to be a member of parliament and I promise I will use this ability to be the best possible person to represent North East Cambridgeshire in Parliament.

“This Tory government has overseen the biggest cuts to our public services in a generation.

“The NHS and social care is in crisis, our schools are struggling under the weight of the budget cuts and cuts to police budgets are putting our safety at risk.

“I will champion collaborative working over the ‘divide and conquer’ policies of the Tories.

“The Labour Party has a positive message, a message that will bring equality to the disadvantaged and prosperity to our forgotten towns; it will rebuild the United Kingdom for the many not the few."

Ruth Johnson - Green Party

“After a career in financial services, I currently work in the education sector.

“As a parent, I dearly hold the values of the Green Party for our children’s future and the well-being of the nation.

“The climate emergency is very real and only the Green Party will act where others pledge. The future needs action now. This is very much a climate campaign.

“As Brexit looms, the Green Party supports a final vote on the final deal to ensure that democracy is upheld.

“The leave campaign was based on mis-truths and the public deserve another referendum. We will let the people decide.

“The NHS is at risk from stealth privatisation under the current government, and we must strive to keep healthcare free for the nation. The NHS is essential and everyone should benefit from free healthcare.

“We must also strive for free education for all, to enable social mobility for all. Every child matters and education should not be based on personal wealth.

“We must ensure that we build a better future where there is cleaner air, there are safer roads, better health and a tax and a welfare system which works for the common good. I believe only the Green Party can deliver all of this.

“On the proposed incinerator in Wisbech, the site is the main issue with the proposal. Algores Way is close to the Thomas Clarkson Academy. There will be trucks throughout the day which will pose a danger, and bring pollution. This site is an accident waiting to happen.

“I understand the rationale to build an incinerator in the UK rather than ship our waste to the Netherlands, but there are many alternative locations in Fenland where it could potentially be sited away from homes.”

Rupert Eccardt-Moss - Liberal Democrats

Rupert grew up in the Fens. He now lives and works in Queen Adelaide as a security consultant.

He has worked both in the public and private sector in large and small organisations.

When living in Cambridge he led a successful, local campaign, against a national developer and was subsequently elected to the county council. He has also served on the Fire Authority.

His background as a security consultant and experience in law enforcement and protecting our civil liberties are considered invaluable by his colleagues who selected him to stand for police and crime commissioner for Cambridgeshire in 2012 and 2016.

Rupert understands the daily challenges faced by those who live and work in our Fenland. He will fight to protect our public services from damaging Conservative cuts and do all he can to stop Brexit.

Rupert is passionate about environmental sustainability and conservation and will always oppose waste incineration. He seeks to protect and improve local amenities and services across the area, especially the needs of the more vulnerable members of the community, including adequate provision of suitable affordable housing.

Better transport links would improve economic development and Rupert pledges to protect and expand health and social care provision. Our NHS must be protected from a Johnson-Trump trade deal and the downgrading of our local hospitals must be reversed.

If elected, he would always campaign for NE Cambs to get a fair deal from the district and county councils and from Westminster, to enable communities to thrive as open and tolerant places to live, work or visit.