With polling day for the 2024 General Election looming ever closer, Nub News is asking local candidates where they stand on key issues in Kingston & Surbiton.

These articles will be published throughout the week to help keep voters informed before they reach the ballot box on Thursday 4 July in a week's time.

Today, Thursday 27 June, we asked our candidates about their plans for education in the borough, as well as what changes they would make to social care provisions if elected.

Ali Abdulla – Workers Party

Education

"[We would] offer free first tertiary degrees for all, invest in vocational programmes to match modern industry needs and Increase support and pay for teachers."

Social care

"We would establish a comprehensive community support network, offering regular home visits, healthcare services, and social activities to ensure the well-being of the elderly and vulnerable."

A.Gent Chinners – Monster Raving Loony Party

Education

"I pledge to reduce class sizes by making the pupils sit closer to each other and issuing them with smaller desks."

Social care

"I will introduce a 99p coin to save having to receive a single bit of change."

Debojyoti Das – Greens

Education

"I have over 12 years of experience working in the higher education sector. First and foremost we want to replace the current tuition fees structure with a more just system that will be fully coated, so that our children don't graduate with eye-watering sums of repayment debt for the rest of their life. 

"We have pledged an increase in school funding of £8bn, to include £2bn for a pay uplift for teachers. In addition to this we have pledged free school meals for secondary school pupils."

Social care

"[I would] restore the value of disability benefit, with an immediate uplift of 5% and reform intrusive eligibility tests like PIP and the unfair targeting of careers and disabled people on benefits."

Ed Davey – Liberal Democrats

Education

"I visit schools all around our constituency, and speak with head teachers regularly – so I know how schools are struggling right now with the lack of investment. "

"We would put a dedicated, qualified mental health professional in every primary and secondary school, making sure all children and parents have someone they can turn to for help, funded by increasing the tax paid by social media firms and other tech giants."

Social care

"I've been a carer nearly all my life – first for my mum, then my Nanna in her frail years, and now my son, John. So I understand many of the challenges family carers face." 

"We cannot fix the crisis facing the NHS without fixing the crisis facing social care [...] Liberal Democrats would introduce free personal care, to help people live independently and with dignity, along with a higher minimum wage for care workers and more support for family carers."

Helen Edward – Conservatives

Education

"About 1 in 5 pupils in Kingston choose independent schools like our brilliant Surbiton High and Kingston Grammar. Fighting against Labour's VAT on independent schools policy which will hurt children and hard working families who sacrifice everything, is key."

"Under Conservatives apprenticeships have doubled and in our manifesto we are pledging to fund 100,000 more apprenticeships including 70% of careers [...] which takes them directly into employment with the right skills without taking out a student debt."

Social care

"I would continue to pressurise the council on their shocking record on standards for social housing security, maintenance and fire safety. 

"I support the government's plans to cancel the ULEZ extension to allow carers low-cost travel."

Mark David Fox – Reform

Education

"No VAT on Fees. Scrap Interest on Student Loans. Universities to offer Accelerated 2-Year Undergraduate Courses. 

"Ban transgender ideology and smart phones in primary and secondary schools."

Social care

"Lift the Income Tax Start Point to £20,000 per year. Lower fuel duty by 20p per litre and scrap VAT on energy bills."

Eunice O'Dame – Labour

Education

"Schools across Kingston are facing further cuts, and our children are being let down. As a school Governor, and mother, I know how hard teachers work to try and provide the best for young people."

"Labour will recruit 6,500 new expert teachers in key subjects and establish 3,000 new primary school-based nurseries. We will also ensure that free breakfast clubs are available in every primary school and implement a modern curriculum that prepares young people for the challenges of work and life.

"Labour will invest in high-quality apprenticeships and specialist technical colleges to provide young people with the skills they need to succeed in a rapidly changing economy."

Social care

"As a member of Unison, the largest union supporting health and social care workers, I am acutely aware of how the sector is struggling with low pay, recruitment, and retention. Labour will ensure the valuable work that care workers do is recognised and rewarded. 

"Every care worker in England would be entitled to a minimum pay of £12 an hour as part of Labour's manifesto pledge to improve recruitment in social care and ease the burden on the NHS."

Yvonne Tracey – Independent

Education

"I raised two daughters and have five grandchildren and one – David – is disabled from birth with a rare delayed development condition. 

"Education must be life long and free so young people can always develop to the best of their abilities. Higher education tuition fees have saddled a generation with unsustainable debt and fees need to go."

Social care

"I was elected as a Kingston councillor in 2022 and promised I would give my first year's allowance to charity. 

"I've used this to support a variety of local organisations supporting vulnerable residents. But it can never be enough. 

"We need a change of government and MP who will vote for more money to support those who need it most."

Our final Quick Qs for Candidates article will be published tomorrow, Friday 28 June, and will cover the all-important Kingfisher project, along with local representation in national government.

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