THE campaign race is on in earnest as the countdown continues to the county and general elections on Thursday, May 5. The nominations have all closed and the candidates in both national and local elections have been taking to the streets to publicise their party's manifesto and encourage people to vote for them. Parliamentary candidates for the North East Hampshire constituency, James Arbuthnot (Conservative), Adam Carew (Liberal Democrats), Kevin McGrath (Labour) and Paul Birch (UK Independence) began the task of making themselves known to the people of Bordon and the surrounding areas after nominations closed last Tuesday. Around 100 people packed into Grayshott Village Hall last Wednesday to take part in an "any questions?" style debate. James Arbuthnot, Adam Carew and Kevin McGrath tackled more than a dozen questions posed by residents from Grayshott, Liphook, Selborne, Lindford, Hartley Wintney and Fleet. Topics included top-up fees, MRSA in hospitals, council tax, Iraq, EU, hunting, pensions, MG-Rover and abortion. Chairing the event was local businessman and "Buy in Grayshott campaign" member, Peter Harrison. "The candidates all did well to provide such clear, concise and relevant responses to some very searching questions which they had not seen in advance," he said. "We were delighted Grayshott was chosen as one of only two such election debates in the whole constituency and pleased so many local people had brought along questions to reflect the mood of the constituency." This year the Liberal Democrats and Labour will hope to eat into Mr Arbuthnot's majority. In June 2001, a clear-cut victory for Mr Arbuthnot secured his seat for a second time when he polled 23,379 votes in the general election. His nearest challenger, the Liberal Democrat candidate, Mike Plummer, polled 10,122 votes. After this election, the Boundary Commission is planning to place Bordon and its surrounding villages, currently represented by James Arbuthnot in the North East Hampshire constituency, back in to the East Hampshire constituency for which Michael Mates was re- elected in June 2002. The county currently has 17 parliamentary constituencies but under new plans by the Boundary Commission for England, this will be increased to 18. This will be achieved by shifting the existing boundaries for the current constituencies to ensure that MPs all represent around the same number of people. At the last boundary review in 1995, Bordon and Whitehill, along with villages such as Bramshott and Liphook, Headley, Lindford and Grayshott, were moved into the North East Hampshire constituency for the same reasons. The proposed new East Hampshire seat will have an electorate of 67,452 and comprise 31 of the 38 new district council wards. This will mean that Bordon, Alton and Petersfield will all be represented by the same MP. The remaining seven district council wards, all located in the Horndean and Clanfield areas, will be put into a new Meon Valley Constituency. Meet the candidates for the general elections – page four.
