A wildlife charity is offering voters in Didcot and Wantage the chance to hear from candidates vying to win seats in their local constituency at the upcoming general election.
The hustings event, run by the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust (BBOWT), will give candidates from the main political parties a platform to speak about their plans to address the nature and climate crisis.
The event at Didcot Civic Hall on Monday, 17 June 2024, from 7.30pm, is the second of three hustings run by BBOWT ahead of the general election on Thursday, 04 July.
- Candidates attending the Didcot and Wantage event are:
- Sam Casey-Rerhaye – Green Party
- Olly Glover – Liberal Democrat
- Mocky Khan – Labour
- Kyn Pomlett – Social Democratic Party
Conservative candidate David Johnston declined the invitation and will not be in attendance, while Reform candidate Steve Beatty did not respond.
Read more: General Election 2024: Who can I vote for in Oxfordshire?
The event will begin with opening speeches from all candidates, followed by a Q&A session for the audience to quiz the panel. It will end with speeches from the candidates, summing up their campaigns and explaining how they plan to deliver for nature.
Matthew Stanton, BBOWT’s acting Conservation Strategy Director, said:
“Nature in our three counties and nationally is in a desperate state of decline – yet the legislation that protects the natural world is being dismantled and watered down.
“We all need nature, and the policies of the next UK Government must be targeted towards species recovery, addressing river pollution and water scarcity, funding wildlife-friendly farming, enabling healthy communities, and tackling climate change.
“So why not come along to our hustings to quiz your candidates about the future of nature on your doorstep? And whichever way you vote this year, please – ask your candidates to sign up to our five priorities and vote for nature at the general election this summer.”
The upcoming general election will make 2024 a defining year for nature’s recovery, as the next Government will determine whether the 2030 targets of halting nature’s decline and protecting 30% of land and sea are met or otherwise.
The landmark 2023 State of Nature Report showed that the UK – already classified as one of the world’s most nature-depleted countries – continues to allow nature to decline. One in six UK species is at risk of extinction.
A new poll conducted by The Wildlife Trusts reveals that a majority of the public thinks the main parties are doing poorly on river pollution (78%), nature loss (71%), climate change (69%), ensuring communities can benefit from nature (65%), and supporting sustainable food production (63%).
Yet the poll shows environmental issues are a key concern for voters, as 39% will vote based on environmental policies, and most people (59%) consider issues related to the environment to be at least as important as other issues facing the country.
Free tickets for the hustings on Monday, 17 June, from 7.30pm, at Didcot Civic Hall, Britwell Road, OX11 7JN, can be booked online at the BBOWT’s website.
