GE2017: B31 Voices General Election coverage begins as candidates announced

Political campaigners are having a much busier month than they may have anticipated at the start of the year, after Theresa May announced that she was calling a snap General Election last month.

Candidates and their teams from all parties have already been hitting our doorsteps and high streets in an attempt to secure our votes.

For this election, we aim to try and bring you:

Candidate lists
500 Words from each candidate
Election news
Results
Election hustings/events calendar

Though our main focus will be Northfield constituency, we will also give coverage to Bromsgrove, Edgbaston and Selly Oak constituencies, as they are significant to many of our readers, particularly those in Rubery, Bartley Green, Selly Oak, Cotteridge & Stirchley.

With candidates being confirmed yesterday, we’ll take a brief look at who is standing where.

Northfield’s current MP Richard Burden, has served the constituency for 25 years. He’s hoping to retain his seat. The Conservative party have brought in Meg Powell-Chandler to try and gain the seat from Labour. Most recently, she has been a consultant for housing and homelessness charity has worked as a Special Advisor at 10 Downing Street under David Cameron. Other candidates are Acocks Green Cllr Roger Harmer for the Liberal Democrats and Eleanor Masters is standing for the Green Party. UKIP’s Keith Rowe stood down in the eleventh hour. He told us he was unable to commit the time but will be supporting UKIPs efforts elsewhere.

The government’s Communities and Local Government minister Sajid Javid is campaigning for re-election in Bromsgrove. This time around, he is challenged by Bromsgrove councillor Dr Michael Thompson for Labour, Neil Lewis for the Lib Dems and former poet laureate Spoz Esposito for the Greens.

Steve McCabe is defending his Selly Oak seat for Labour in this election. The Conservative challenge comes in the form of Sophie Shrubsole, currently a councillor in Kent. Former Selly Oak councillor David Radcliffe and the Green Party’s Julien Pritchard complete the candidate list for Selly Oak.

Edgbaston constituency is up for grabs this election, after current MP Gisela Stuart (Labour) decided not to stand for re-election. In response, the Labour party have brought in Sandwell councillor Preet Gill. The Conservative candidate has a strong family political history in Birmingham: Caroline Squire is the great-great-granddaughter of Joseph Chamberlain, the former Mayor of Birmingham who established the University of Birmingham in 1900. Other candidates include Colin Green for the Liberal Democrats and Alice Kiff for the Green Party. Former Common Good candidate for Northfield Dick Rodgers is also standing under a manifesto for ‘Europe Needs Us’.