Preston general election 2024 hustings to be held

The Mitchell and Kenyon cinema theatre on the University of Central Lancashire’s Preston campus will be the venue for the hustings

Preston residents are being given the chance to put the city’s prospective MPs on the spot ahead of next month’s general election.

Blog Preston, The Lancashire Post and The Lancashire Lead are teaming up to ensure the 10 candidates seeking election are quizzed.

The debate, chaired by The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) Paul Faulkner, on Monday (17th June) – is a chance for you to hear from the candidates vying for your vote in the constituency, all 10 of whom have been invited to take part.

It will be staged in the University of Central Lancashire’s Foster building – in the Mitchell and Kenyon theatre – between 7pm and 9pm (doors open at 6.30pm). See directions here.

If you would like to attend and ask a question on local or national issues, you need to register via the form below or use this form link. Places are limited and allocated on a first-come-first-served basis.

If you can’t make it in person, you can still put a poser to the people who want to represent you in Parliament. Just keep an eye on the Facebook and X/Twitter pages of the media titles that have teamed up to host the gathering- the Lancashire Post, Blog Preston and the Lancashire Lead – all this week, where you will be able submit your questions.

The organisers of the event are encouraging voters to get involved – irrespective of whether or not they think they have made their minds up about where they will be placing their cross.

The Lancashire Post’s digital editor Vanessa Sims said “It’s great to be teaming up with Blog Preston and The Lancashire Lead on an event that will give the people of Preston the opportunity to hear directly what candidates think on the issues important to them ahead of the election.

“This is your chance to hear first hand what their priorities will be if they get elected.”

Founder of Blog Preston CIC and co-editor, Ed Walker, added: “The level of debate online about elections can be increasingly hostile, so it’s important people have a safe, moderated and fair space to hear directly from candidates.

“We are glad to be working with the Post and The Lead to put on these events to ensure candidates are asked the tough questions and see how they fare when faced with real people asking about real issues.”

Meanwhile, Luke Beardsworth, senior editor (North) for The Lead, said the hustings will help residents make sense of an election “that came sooner than many of us expected”.

“Anything that can help people feel empowered by the process of democracy – and to make an informed decision on who to give their vote – is a really important step.

“Plenty of people will consider their mind made up on who they vote for – and plenty won’t. Either way, this will be the best chance to make up your mind on who deserves your vote on 4th July.”

Electoral boundaries mean that while most of the Preston City Council area falls within the Preston parliamentary constituency, residents of four wards – Greyfrairs, Sharoe Green, Preston Rural North and Preston Rural East – will be voting for candidates in the Ribble Valley seat at this election.

Who are the candidates for Preston?

Yousuf Bhailok – Independent
David Brooks – Alliance for Democracy and Freedom
Neil Darby – Liberal Democrats
James Elliot – Reform UK
Trevor Hart – Conservative
Sir Mark Hendrick (incumbent) – Labour and Co-operative Party
Derek Killeen – UKIP
Michael Lavalette – Independent
Izzy Metcalf-Riener – Green Party
Joseph O’Meachair – Rejoin EU

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