Hazel Grove Hustings at Marple Methodist Church [Thursday 23 April 2015]

[Dave]

Yes, it's an astonishing transformation, from the seven-stone weakling who has sand kicked in his face on the beach to this:  http://www.charlesatlas.com/     

[simonesaffron]

Dave isn't weak now though Dave, there has been a transformation and he's all 'pumped up' and ready to go.

[Dave]

Yes.  It's what happens when you have a weak prime minister with no control over his backbenchers. 

[Disgusted of Marple]

I'll sing Hallelujah to that.     And while we're at it, let's scrap the House of Lords as well.

Ah yes, House of Lords reform. Another one of the policies the LibDems thought they had agreement on in 2010 but which have been watered down, or in this case reneged on, in the intervening years.

[red666bear]

The church, 12 billion pounds in hedge funds and they still ask for donations on a Sunday morning.

[Duke Fame]

I'll sing Hallelujah to that.     And while we're at it, let's scrap the House of Lords as well.

Whilst it's logical to scrap the HOL, it does seem to work pretty well. 

[Dave]

Personally, I'd like to see a complete separation of church and state including and end to the 26 unelected bishops in the House of Lords. I'd be very happy to see a completely secular government.

I'll sing Hallelujah to that.     And while we're at it, let's scrap the House of Lords as well.

[Howard]

To be honest, I've never got the idea that your own thoughts were dictated by an argument over an imaginary friend, i certainly don't want my government dictated by such mumbo jumbo.

I'm with you there, @Duke Fame. Personally, I'd like to see a complete separation of church and state including and end to the 26 unelected bishops in the House of Lords. I'd be very happy to see a completely secular government.

[Duke Fame]

Because he's a committed Catholic and has regularly stated he would vote along with his moral view rather than than on the party line on this issue, should there ever be any opportunity to do so.

To be honest, I've never got the idea that your own thoughts were dictated by an argument over an imaginary friend, i certainly don't want my government dictated by such mumbo jumbo.

[simonesaffron]

As far as I am aware there is no party policy from any of the major parties on abortion.

There is a current law which offers a maximum termination time and some MP'S are in favour of altering it whereas other are not. There is though no political whipping involved in such debates and thus far any voting has been seen as an individual conscience vote.   

[Condate]

Because he's a committed Catholic and has regularly stated he would vote along with his moral view rather than than on the party line on this issue, should there ever be any opportunity to do so.

One of the most important aspects of the hustings was to find out where the candidates differed from the party line. Obviously, as a Catholic, I agree with  Michael Taylor on abortion and I would have hoped for the same line from the others (as I disagree with Labour policies in other areas sufficiently to make it unlikely I could vote for any of their candidates). It's events like this that really allow voters to find out what the candidates as individuals believe. Incidentally, since I've made it clear before that I regard abortion as a major election issue, I should point out it wasn't me who put that question forward at the hustings, although I did put the question quoting Gilbert & Sullivan!

[Howard]

Michael was almost weirdly evangelical anti-abortion

Because he's a committed Catholic and has regularly stated he would vote along with his moral view rather than than on the party line on this issue, should there ever be any opportunity to do so.

[Duke Fame]

Stockport Express highlighted the hypocrisy of the Tory campaign when it was pointed out that most of their other candidates in Greater Manchester weren't local to their intended seats.

Surely local council elections are where this is most important.

Because Stockport express is Always straight down the middle an unbiased

[Duke Fame]

For a great many people, issues such as abortion are very much the major issues in this and every election. It's one of the reasons I could never vote for a Lib Dem candidate (with one or two historical exceptions who were anti-abortion). The main parties don't seem to realise what the main issues really are for a huge number of people.

Way at was interesting was the response to the abortion question in that all except Lisa, clearly disregarded / disagreed with their party line. Wragg was close but Michael was almost weirdly evangelical anti-abortion with the Green guy not far behind, neither party iirc have any intention of restrictioning access to abortion.

Personally I think it's a daft idea to force girls to have children when they are not emotionally, economically, intellectually cultuvated or have an adequate relationship/Family back up to bring up children successfully. There may be an argument to reducing the cut off limit though.

Both Lisa and William missed an opportunity to remind the audience that they have greatly improved the adoption process where it's no longer the daunting protracted process it once was.

[Melancholyflower]

Stockport Express highlighted the hypocrisy of the Tory campaign when it was pointed out that most of their other candidates in Greater Manchester weren't local to their intended seats.

Surely local council elections are where this is most important.