General election: Fylde candidates' integrity tested as they seek to replace MP locked up by 'bad people'

It came during a hustings debate which was set against the backdrop of the departure of the constituency’s Westminster representative of the last 14 years, Mark Menzies.

The former Conservative politician spent the last few weeks of his parliamentary career sitting as an independent after resigning the Tory whip when it was reported he had called an elderly aide in the middle of night to say he was being held by “bad people” demanding money for his release.    An investigation by the Conservative Party found he had shown a “pattern of behaviour” that fell below the standard expected of MPs – although he was cleared of claims he had misused party funds.

>>> Click here to watch the Fylde hustings debate in full.

A ripple of laughter rang around the room when hustings host – local democracy reporter Paul Faulkner – said the importance of integrity had been raised in several of the audience’s pre-submitted questions.

He asked Conservative candidate Andrew Snowden whether his own party’s recent history made it harder for him to get a hearing on the matter. The former Lancashire Police and Crime Commissioner said “integrity in public life” is what drove him into politics.

“I’ve worked my way up from grassroots community politics, where…it’s about whether the dog poo gets cleaned up and the potholes get filled in – and you’re dealing with the things that matter to people day in and day out and not considering yourself to be this aloof, aloft, senior person who’s dealing with things far more important than what matters to individuals

“I actually believe politicians often hide from the public too easily and you should be out there talking to the people that you serve. You can’t go to Westminster and claim to be representing…and be the voice of a constituency if you’re not talking to your constituents,” Mr. Snowden said.

Tom Calver, contesting the seat for Labour, said one of the things he found saddest about “the last 14 years” was “the decline in standards”.

He added:  “When you start to accept those standards yourself, you start to accept it from everyone else as well.

“It has to be about service before self, it has to be about constituencies before career, it has to be about country before parties. So it’s not just the integrity of individuals, it’s the integrity of parties as well.

“I think we’re overdue Labour’s proposal for a statutory standard system for MPs and ministers. It’s time that was put on a footing that can’t be interfered with by party politics,” Mr. Calver added.

He also implored the public both to vote and also to “hold us to account”, saying:  “Don’t smite on Facebook – come round and tell us exactly what’s wrong.”

Liberal Democrat candidate Mark Jewell said that it “undermines our democracy…when politicians do act in an unprofessional way”.

“What we all get painted with is: ‘You’re all the same – and I don’t believe [we] are.

 “To me, one of the things that is really fulfilling as a politician is when you get stuff done, when you achieve things, when you improve people’s lives. And that must surely trump [everything else]  – it is a really selfish position to say, ‘I’m going to do this for my own benefit.’

“Those Nolan principles [on standards in public life]…should have the…severest consequences if [politicians] do not hold to those principles, because people are putting their trust In you,” said Mr. Jewell.

In stating that he did not doubt the integrity or intentions of anyone with whom he was sharing the stage, he seemingly embodied the sentiment of Andrew Snowden that the campaign in Fylde had been a “fair” one during which it had been “a pleasure” to debate his opponents.

Independent candidate Anne Aitken also championed the importance of fairness amidst any political fracas.

“You don’t know who you’re voting [for]…you don’t really know us. What you do hope is that you’re going to [get] somebody…who’s fair. I think all four of us are fair and I hope we play by the rules.

“But, yes, politicians should be held to account [and any issues] shouldn’t be brushed under the carpet.”

Addressing her fellow panellists – whom she often warmly referred to as “the boys” during the event – Ms. Aitken made a plea that the civility shown on the campaign trail be extended to the Commons – should any of them make it there.

“Don’t be like the school yard or as though you’re in the zoo.  I think we all need to just come down to brass tacks, work for the people and stop trying to get points off each other,” she said.

Three other candidates standing for election in Fylde were unable to attend the hustings – staged by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Blackpool Gazette, Lancashire Post, Lancashire Lead and Blog Preston – and sent their apologies. They are: Cheryl Morrison (Alliance for Democracy and Freedom), Brenden Wilkinson (Green Party) and Brook Wimbury (Reform UK).