Last week saw the opening of the dualled A30 between the Carland Cross and Chiverton Cross roundabouts – a truly colossal project, a massive investment from the Government into Cornwall’s main arterial route, and one that I have been proud to ensure was completed on time. Gone will be those summer tailbacks and Cornwall just got a lot more accessible for those living, working and visiting here.

The successful completion of the dualling of the A30 is just one thing that I have been pleased to deliver on during my time as MP for Truro and Falmouth. Along with the new women and children’s hospital at Treliske, which is now under construction, the refurbished Hall for Cornwall, and millions of pounds of Shared Prosperity for projects across our constituency, I am delighted to stand firmly on my track record of delivering for our area.

Regardless of who forms the next Government, we need an MP who knows how to get things done and deliver for their constituency. I have successfully demonstrated that I can do that during my time in office. On July 4, please put your trust in me for another five years.

There is a clear choice at this election in Truro and Falmouth. Labour ran a close second to the Conservatives here at the last two elections with only just over 4,500 votes in it in 2019 and other parties trailing a long way behind. Labour is the only party that can beat the Conservatives in this constituency.

But a vote for me is more than a tactical vote to remove the Conservatives. It’s a vote for positive change.

I have lived and worked in Falmouth for nearly twenty years and I am the Labour group leader on Cornwall Council: the first rural local authority to declare a Climate Emergency, which I proposed and pushed through; where I also won £3.5-million for mental healthcare in Cornish secondary schools; and secured the vaccine clinic in Falmouth during COVID. These are some of the projects and initiatives that I have delivered, that I care about, and am proud of - and you can expect me to continue to fight for local people and local issues if I am elected because a vote for Jayne Kirkham is a vote for a proven and effective politician for Cornwall. Not a protest vote. A vote for progress.

Many people I’ve spoken to in this election campaign tell me they are not sure who to vote for. They feel disillusioned with politics generally and don’t trust politicians to keep their promises. We are a long way from Westminster down here and too often our voice does not get heard by those in power.

I’m standing to be the MP for Truro and Falmouth to change that.

I believe we deserve better than what we’ve had from our politics recently. As someone who was born and grew up in this constituency, I will always put Truro and Falmouth first. My job as your MP is not to make up the numbers in Westminster, but to stay focused on the issues people here care about. That includes campaigning to end ambulance delays at Treliske and improve our local health services, demanding better housing for local people and caring for our precious natural environment. It means supporting small business and our rural communities.

A vote for the Liberal Democrats on July 4 is a vote for a local champion. If I’m elected this time, I will be proud to represent our area and work to make sure your voice is truly heard in Westminster.

This week when English football fans throw beer cups hitting the manager and families of the England players, we must ask why? Fans claim to be frustrated at England’s performance despite the team finishing top of its group qualifying for an easier route to the semi-finals. What is going wrong?

When out on the doorsteps I listen to people bemoaning a ‘Broken Britain’ even though they holiday abroad twice a year and think they should pay less tax. I listen to those struggling on low wages, high rents and out of control mortgages and find them blaming immigration for their problem and wanting to vote Reform. What is going wrong? Have we forgotten how they lied about our bright future beyond the EU? In a post Brexit Cornwall, our rural and fishing industries are struggling with a bureaucratic nightmare and our local businesses selling out to European counterparts.

Don’t be fooled again by Reform or Nigel Farage. Their culture of blame and misinformation is damaging Britain. When Reform’s supporters feel they can spew Islamaphobic hate and ordinary fans think it’s okay to throw cups at innocent people watching a football match, it’s time to rethink. On July 4 vote for a party with integrity, vote Green.

Cornwall faces a housing crisis that has left many residents struggling to find affordable homes.

The surge in property prices, driven by a booming holiday rental market, has pushed local families out of the housing market, exacerbating homelessness and housing insecurity. This has profoundly impacted our communities, as long-term residents are displaced and local businesses struggle to retain staff due to a lack of affordable housing options.

As your MP, I will champion the urgent need for more social housing in Cornwall. I believe it is vitally important to address this issue to ensure that everyone, regardless of income, has access to a safe and secure home. My plan includes lobbying for increased government funding to build new social housing units and refurbish existing ones. Additionally, I will advocate for stricter regulations on holiday rentals to ensure a fair proportion of homes remain available for local residents.

I will work closely with the council, local housing associations, and community groups to develop sustainable housing solutions that meet the needs of our diverse population. By prioritising social housing, we can build stronger, more resilient communities where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. It is time for bold action to secure the future of housing in Cornwall.

• Also standing is: Peter Lawrence (Independent) and Peter White (Liberal)

This Thursday those of us who live in the St Austell and Newquay constituency will have the opportunity to vote for who will represent us in Parliament for the next five years.

The polls predict that this will be a close run contest locally between me as the Conservative candidate and Labour. There is a clear choice for local people to make about who is the best person to represent and fight for us in the new Parliament.

Having lived and work in our constituency my whole life I know what life here is like. Your experience of living here has been my experience as I have raised my own family here. Over the past nine years I have fought tirelessly to deliver the things I said I would do when I was first elected: record levels of investment in our transport infrastructure, education, health services and job creation.

A vote for any other party rather than voting for me will allow in a Labour candidate who has only just appeared on the scene after failing to stand for election in Truro, who does not live in the constituency and lacks the experience and knowledge to be the effective representative we deserve.

The snap election may have taken Rishi Sunak's own party by surprise, but I've been campaigning intensively for Labour in Cornwall for a long time. Over the past 18 months, I've already made an impact.

I've led a campaign to help force a U-turn on Conservative-run Cornwall Council's ridiculous, costly bus cuts that would have hit families hard. I've spoken out against the desalination plant at Par, urging South West Water to consider its indefinite postponement. Working with health staff and campaigners, I've forced the Foundation Trust to reconsider closing the Minor Injuries Unit in Newquay.

And this is just as a volunteer, community activist. Being from outside of politics gives me another great advantage at a time when people in Cornwall are sick of our established politics: No vested interests, no big donations from dodgy developers. A campaign built on a dedicated team of volunteers who're helping to channel the voice of local people into all we do. The Tories do not understand Cornwall, nor do they care about the massive problems - and potential - we have here. I know what it's like to be a young person in Cornwall and how we seize that potential.

One thing about this election is clear: it is time for change. The Conservatives have to go.

The question for people in St Austell & Newquay is who are the best placed to beat them in our area? Cornwall has a tradition of electing hard working Liberal MPs going back to the 1970s with Penhaligon and Pardoe and all the way through to the 2000s with Matthew Taylor, Paul Tyler and Steve Gilbert. Labour haven’t won here since the seat was created and the sad truth is that, under our voting system, a vote for the Greens will just help the Tories win.

I have served on Newquay town council, on Cornwall Council and as a local Magistrate and spent more than 20 years campaigning on vital regional issues from clean water to responsible planning. I understand the issues we face and the changes we must see.

I pledge to fight day and night for a better deal for Cornwall. Please, at this election, do not let the Tories in through the back door: use your vote wisely and vote for the party with the best chance of removing them from our area. It really is up to you now.

The cost-of-living crisis in St Austell and Newquay has reached a critical juncture, impacting everyone. As the pressures of inflation and stagnant wages mount, everyone finds living increasingly difficult.

A primary concern in St Austell and Newquay is the sharp rise in housing costs. Rental prices have surged, making it difficult for anyone to find affordable accommodation. Reform UK proposes policies that prioritise local residents for housing and discourage the conversion of homes into holiday lets, aiming to stabilise the rental market and make homeownership more attainable.

For many in the constituency, the situation is compounded by relatively low wages. Reform UK supports measures such as tax reductions for lower-income earners and incentives for businesses to raise wages, ensuring that workers can keep pace with the rising cost of living.

Public transportation is another critical issue. Reform UK advocates for increased investment in public transportation infrastructure to provide reliable, affordable alternatives to car travel, reducing the financial burden on commuters.

As your MP, I am committed to addressing these challenges through policies that support affordable housing, fair wages, and accessible public services, striving to enhance the quality of life for all residents in the region.

• Also standing: Amanda Pennington (Green Party), Jay Latham (Liberal) and Angie Rayner (Independent)

Ask yourself one question: what works better now than it did 14 years ago? Not much, is there. After five Prime Ministers, seven Chancellors, one crashed economy and constant Conservative infighting, it’s time for change.

The Conservatives will leave a legacy of sleaze, scandal and economic failure: austerity, PPE, Partygate. Liz Truss, a cost of living crisis and now the betting scandal. There’s no clearer metaphor for what the Conservatives have done to our country than the raw sewage they allow to be pumped into our rivers and seas.

In Camborne, Redruth and Hayle, as with most of Cornwall, Labour is the alternative. As the son of a local GP and a nurse, my overriding priority is helping to rescue our NHS. Imagine another five years of Conservative government.

There’s a real danger that we will not have an NHS. Labour created the NHS in 1948. We brought it back from the brink in 1997 and we have a fully costed plan to lift it off its knees again. Having been there for all of us when we needed it, now in its hour of need, please do the right thing. Time to end this chapter. Think change. Vote Labour.

• Also standing is Roger Tarrant (Reform UK), Connor Donnithorne (Conservative), Catherine Hayes (Green Party), Robert Hawkins (Socialist Labour Party), Paul Holmes (Liberal) and Thalia Marrington (Liberal Democrats)

The outcome of this election in West Cornwall is unlikely to determine who becomes prime minister but the stakes are still high for us.

Do we return an MP who has built up good working relationships with those who hold responsibility for the things we all rely on or choose a Liberal Democrat whose only aim is to ‘beat the Tory’?

You can compare our record: Two large protest marches to save hospitals in West Cornwall during the Lib-Dem MP’s time under a Labour government. During my time, working with a Conservative government, delivering NHS services closer to home and millions of pounds to secure the future of West Cornwall Hospital and St Mary’s Hospital with major building upgrades.

Youth unemployment was high before I became an MP, those not in Education, Training or Employment (NEET) in West Cornwall topped the list for a rural area. Now, apprenticeships are available for 70 per cent of the jobs young people can do and we have very low unemployment.

I’ve focused my efforts on access to the things we need including healthcare, skills and public transport. It’s a record of action and a promise of more. I hope I can count on your support on July 4.

Together we can restore our country and get things back on the right track. It won’t be easy. Cornwall and Scilly have been taken for granted. I’m determined our voice should be heard again.

Together we can rebuild our NHS; reverse the widening inequality; restore our reputation in the world; fight climate change; secure housing justice; restore nature and curb the appalling sewage spills around our coast.

I’m standing on my record as MP (1997-2015), and the achievements of successful NHS, housing and environmental campaigning. I am currently a housing professional, leading a charity with a successful record of delivering decent, secure and genuinely affordable homes for locals.

My first priorities for our area if elected will be to restore 24/7 Urgent treatment at West Cornwall Hospital, press for the delivery of in perpetuity homes for locals which are currently stuck in the system, end tax loopholes on holiday homes to pay for homes for locals, accelerate action to ensure investment to stop sewage spills by controlling unjustified top exec/shareholder rewards in the water industry and to ensure the efficient delivery of remaining town deal and other investment programmes.

I was born and bred in Marazion and spent my working life in this area of Cornwall so I'm familiar with the needs of the locals. I brought up a family here; now they are in their 20’s. I see the struggles facing the younger generation, our workforce and our future.

Speaking with many locals I hear them saying that things have to change to keep the youth from leaving the area simply to survive. I constantly hear people who are fed up with working hard only to see earnings vanish in taxes whilst services decline and prices soar. They report that they feel they’re living under a regime that’s oppressive and out of touch, governed from afar by the rich elite with no idea of the struggles facing the local youth, businesses, farmers and trades.

People state there is no real alternative to the big parties' monopolies on policy: They are seeking change. We need someone who will represent the locals, who knows their needs and will serve them without fear or favour. Encouraged by the support for change I decided to stand for election as an independent candidate.

A concern of Reform UK is that with Liz Truss signing the UK into part of EU’s Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO), she has started the unification of the UK into the EU European Defence Agency (EDA) and European Defence Fund (EDF) that the UK is already paying approx. £100m/year.

With Labour in power, Starmer and Lammy will take this process to the final stage, namely, ‘to seek an ambitious new UK -EU Security pact to strengthen cooperation’ and for the UK to join the European Defence Force, the same approach as the Liberal Democrats.

Under PESCO, EDA and EDF, the UK hands over UK Sovereignty of our Armed Services to the EU. Ultimately, this could lead to the UK losing its place as a Permanent Member of the Security Council, with our seat passing to the EU.

The UK would be required to endorse the EU as the military authority, with the EU being able to interfere with UK government decision-making, which is something 17.4-million people voted against with Brexit.

As your MP, I will fight to retain the UK’s Sovereignty at all times, on all matters, with decisions being made in our Parliament and not in Brussels.

• Also standing is John Harris (The Common People), Jason Saunders (UK Independence Party - UKIP), Dr Filson Ali (Labour), Paul Nicholson (Independent) and Ian Flindall (Green Party).

The Conservative government’s mismanagement of the economy wreaked havoc on everyday households - and we’re still paying the price. Thousands across North Cornwall are struggling to make ends meet. We face soaring housing costs while wages remain frustratingly stagnant. Fuel and food prices have skyrocketed, squeezing many family budgets to breaking point.

Despite holidaying in North Cornwall, Conservative politicians seem oblivious to the hardships faced by locals. From their cosy Westminster bubble, they create policies which consistently favour the wealthy while neglecting the needs of working people and the most vulnerable in our society. Conservative policies have widened the gap between the rich and the poor, exacerbating social and economic divides, with Cornwall bearing a significant brunt of this inequality.

The Liberal Democrats propose a fair deal for all, ensuring North Cornwall benefits from a fairer tax system – one that does not place disproportionate burdens on lower earners. We will reverse the Tory tax cuts for big banks, tax income from wealth and clamp down on tax evasion. We will also reverse the £500-million Tory tax cut for holiday homes and force developers to build genuinely affordable homes. It’s time for a fair deal for Cornwall. It’s time for change.

The Heritage Party is a party based on social conservatism. We, as the living generation are responsible for looking after the heritage which has been passed to us from our forefathers, and we have a duty to pass it on to the next generation. It is crucial that those in positions of power prioritise the well-being and prosperity of our own citizens, ensuring a thriving economy and a sense of security in our own country.

The Heritage Party stands for straightforward, common-sense values and principles that will restore pride, purpose and prosperity to our nation: These are the values and principles that we are standing on:

1. Defend our culture and heritage

2. Upholding free speech and liberty

3. Protecting children from harmful gender ideology and sexualisation

4. Exercising control over our borders

5. No to the ‘net-zero’ agenda

6. Disentangle from foreign wars

The Heritage Party will pay farmers to produce food, not meet climate targets. We will also ban the destruction of our marine wildlife by banning the construction of seaweed farms off the North Cornwall coast.

On July 4 vote for real change, vote for the Heritage Party.

I have always been honest with the North Cornwall residents, and if the polls are accurate a very strong Labour government is about to take power. This means that North Cornwall’s local representation is now even more important than before.

Throughout my nine years in Parliament, I have worked hard to build relationships across the political spectrum, I have chaired and been a member of many cross-party groups. Through several government roles I have learned how Westminster works, and I have the respect of my peers. I am uniquely placed in this election to be able to negotiate and deliver the best deal for North Cornwall from an incoming government. I will also hold them to account, but I will do so in a pragmatic way. People who know me will attest that I am all about the details. As your MP I’ll ensure you know exactly what is in upcoming legislation and I will report back to you every week.

I’ve been honoured to be your MP for nine years. We’ve faced challenges together, there have been highs and lows. Whatever happens on July 4, I’ll still be here like I always have been, because I love North Cornwall and I would never want to be anywhere else.

• Also standing: Lance Symonds (Green Party), Robyn Harris (Labour) and Rowland O’Connor (Reform UK)

I was born and brought up in the constituency and have lived here virtually my whole life. South East Cornwall is my home where I raised my children and I have always wanted the best for the area. Before entering Parliament I worked in the local NHS, and served as a local councillor.

I have a local plan for South East Cornwall:

• I am against any Tamar Toll increase and want to get rid of them,

• I want safety improvements to the A38,

• I want to see a new flood defence scheme for Looe,

• I want to see banking facilities in all towns,

• I am working with the Police Commissioner to open police front desks,

• I am working to get local grants for sport, arts and to protect our heritage,

• I am working for train station improvements in Saltash and Lostwithiel,

• I am working with farmers and fishermen for a better deal.

I am determined to fight for the best for our area regardless of who is in government. Please give me your support on Thursday so that I can take forward my local plan to improve our area.

It’s been a delight to spend six weeks sharing positive and practical solutions to the problems we face as individuals and as a community. Acting to prevent problems is far better (and cheaper) than paying to pick up the pieces, but our Conservative MP has done the opposite for fourteen years, and Labour is set to continue that failed ideology of austerity.

By investing in parental leave, childcare, free school meals and removing the two-child benefit cap, we can reduce child poverty.

By investing in public health, mental health, and social care, we can prevent disease, reduce waiting times and get people back to work.

By investing in farming, we can secure our food supply and protect the environment.

By investing in sustainable energy, we can stop climate change and reduce energy bills.

By building affordable homes and controlling holiday homes, we can eliminate homelessness.

By upgrading the A38, we can avoid needless deaths and injuries.

And by allocating just 0.001 per cent more of the government’s budget to Cornwall, we can scrap the Tamar Tolls, easing the cost of living and boosting the local economy.

All of this is possible and affordable if you vote Liberal Democrat on Thursday.

Election week is here, and this is a national moment of change. You have an important decision here where every vote counts.

Because if you want change, you have to vote for it. Labour is the only party that can beat the Conservatives here, as all tactical voting websites confirm.

I live here on the Rame Peninsula and am a long-term campaigner and conservationist. I’ve spent my life serving others in senior roles at charities including the RNLI.

I’m not a career politician. It was a very personal journey that led me to here, as I ask you to put your faith in me and in Labour. Caring for my mother during a terminal illness changed how I saw the world. I saw the dire state of our NHS and social care. It should not be like this, our loved ones deserve so much better. They deserve change.

We need not just a change of government, but a change of approach. I want to do politics differently here. With your support, I will be a fresh start. With your support, I will get us the fair share we deserve under the next Labour government. I will not let you down.

Last Monday Nigel Farage made a commitment to supporting our veterans, stating that this country must have a Ministry for Veteran Affairs.

When campaigning in Torpoint during Monday, I was approached by many veterans who expressed their distain of the Tory government with their false promises in helping our country’s veterans.

Mental health in general, PTSD in particular and being homeless and unemployed were some issues outlined to me. Torpoint has a close-knit community of veterans with many enjoying a monthly breakfast meeting.

A submariner veteran explained he and his wife were evicted from their Naval accommodation, only to see their home along with others, being handed over to immigrants to live in. They were in effect evicted, as were many of his colleagues, from their marital quarters. He stated that these immigrants just seem to appear out of nowhere and none could speak English.

Help for Heroes do an excellent job. But our veterans must have a stronger voice in parliament and Nigel Farage makes that point. If elected, I will engage with our veterans, especially in the Torpoint area, to fully understand their concerns and raise them in parliament on their behalf.

Antisocial behaviour is what BBC Radio Cornwall want to ask me about. I was just going to talk about how we need more youth clubs, and expect others to say we need more police, but antisocial behaviour is a symptom of a deeper problem: loss of dignity and self-respect. This has been caused by massively increasing inequality.

As millionaires have become billionaires the working poor are forced into the humiliating position of begging for food at foodbanks. When I volunteered at Callington foodbank I remember that although we volunteers were openly generous those in need were clearly uncomfortable and humiliated by the need to beg. How different it is when everyone is supported by the state as a matter of right: dignity is retained.

This move over decades to a place where everything is privatised, the state support is inadequate and charity is the only hope for those in need has nearly broken our society. When people lose self-respect antisocial behaviour is inevitable and worse will follow. The balance between market and state desperately needs to be corrected.

This is the fundamental reason for the people of South East Cornwall to elect me as MP on July 4.

• Also standing: Graham Cowdry (Heritage Party)