Dudley South candidates make last-ditch bid for votes

Labour’s Natasha Millward says she and her team have been out knocking on doors come rain or shine since the snap General Election was called.

And she believes recent TV appearances by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn have boosted his profile and appeal among voters and she said: “From what we’re hearing on the doorstep people are really warming to Jeremy Corbyn and his policies - the more they see his vision for what Britain could be.”

The 38-year-old UNISON officer (pictured above), who lives in Woodsetton, added: “Theresa May just keeps saying ‘strong and stable’ and it’s not washing with voters; she’s not been on the debates and when she’s doing meetings they’re with activists and people see through this.”

She added: "It's clear that politics has to change. People in Dudley South have a real opportunity at this election to send a message to the Tories that this government is not working for them.

"People here deserve to have the security of a decent, well-paid job, a secure home, a good education for their children and a decent pension when they retire."

She said a Labour government would build more council homes, deliver a £10 minimum wage and ban zero hours contracts and she added: "We need a government who will build a society where we all benefit not just the few.”

And she believes the the final result on Thursday “could be very close”.

Conservative candidate Mike Wood (pictured below), who has been Dudley South’s MP for the last two years - having beaten Ms Millward to the polls in 2015, however, is confident he will retain his seat.

It’s been a tough campaign for the 41-year-old father of two who was thrown into having to canvas for votes just months after he almost lost his life to sepsis and while a decision by the CPS was awaited over election spending in the 2015 General Election.

But he was told there would be no charges to answer shortly after campaigning got underway in earnest and he says he has been getting a positive reaction on the doorstep.

He said: “We’ve been out in every part of the constituency, I’m really pleased with the response I’ve been getting back.”

Of Mrs May’s ‘strong and stable’ campaign slogan – he joked: “If you haven’t tired of your own campaign slogan, you haven’t started campaigning yet.”

But he added: “It’s a really important message – we need to carry on getting the message across.

“Theresa May has shown as Prime Minister she does bring a strong, stable approach to government – it’s grown-up government.

“An unsteady coalition would threaten economic security and Brexit talks – that’s why we have to have a Conservative majority government after tomorrow.”

He bashed Labour’s record on council houses, saying the Tories also want to see more homes built “when we the money is available to build these homes so they’re affordable but we have to keep the nation’s finances under control, not burden our children and grandchildren with unmanageable levels of debt”.

He said the Conservatives have also pledged greater protection for people on zero hours contracts and added: “There’s nothing wrong with zero hours contracts themselves - it’s if they’re misused. We need to make sure protections are there to stop people being exploited but still allowing flexibility for people.”

And he said the Tories were “prioritising the NHS and protecting school spending so no school is worse off as a result of our funding formula”.

Meanwhile - UKIP’s Mitchell Bolton, believes “if Donald Trump can win in America anything’s possible”.

The 31-year-old transport warehouse manager, who lives in Kingswinford, says he’s doing his best and “standing up for what I believe in”. It’s his first time standing for Parliament although he came second in the local council elections last year in Cradley and Wollescote and he said: “Considering it was the first time I’d stood and I got second place, to Labour’s Gaye Partridge, I was quite excited about that.”

In this election he admits he has his work cut out - standing against Tory Mike Wood who was the only borough MP to campaign for Brexit and he said: “It’s always hard when you’re going against a Leave MP as that’s what everyone associates UKIP with but there’s still a party after the EU Referendum, we’ve got a good manifesto, and I’m the only candidate who lives in Dudley South."

A father to two young girls - he says he’s not “your typical career politician” and that first and foremost he’s a community and family man.

He told the News: “Everything I do is for my girls and family, it’s their future I’m fighting for."

Although he admits he was a one-time Labour supporter, he said: “Labour just don’t seem to represent the normal working class person anymore.”

So he joined UKIP around five years ago after attending a meeting and thinking “this party is actually making sense”.

And he has pledged, if elected, to give much of his MP’s salary to good causes in the constituency. He said: “The salary that comes with being an MP is not something that interests me, I would take my wages, about £28,000, and the rest would be donated to good causes in Dudley South which would be around £200,000 over five years, that’s a lot of money going back to the area.”

He’s accused the main parties of “taking your votes for granted” and said: “Everyone needs to work hard for their vote - ever since I decided to stand that’s what I’ve been doing.”

Among those who have pledged to put their cross in the box for him on Thursday is the legendary Black Country Mario Lanza beer mat artist AJW who sent him a promise through the post.

Mr Bolton (pictured above) said: "I was very humbled to receive a post card form the Phantom himself - endorsing me in my campaign. He’s such an iconic figure in the Black Country. I was quite overwhelmed.”

Meanwhile, Green Party candidate Jenny Maxwell is hoping to entice enough voters out to ensure the party does not lose its deposit this time round.

The 72-year-old retired mum-of-four (pictured below), who lives on a narrowboat near Netherton, joined the Green Party in 2015 when she decided she “ought to start doing something”.

A keen advocate of changing the UK voting system to proportional representation instead of first past the post and keen to do what she can to help the homeless - she believes the turnout in this election won’t be “tremendously huge” as “many people are feeling fed up and disillusioned”.

She said: “We’ve really got to be worried - no matter what party you support.”

Born in Cairo at the end of the war, she says the hardest thing she’s ever done was “trying to bring two children up on benefits” and she added: “I have an awful lot of sympathy for people trying to do the same thing and raise family without enough money.”

She says she’s disappointed there has not been an official hustings event in the constituency as part of the race to the polls, although she did take part in a radio interview with her fellow candidates but “it was all very polite”.

Finally - Lib Dem candidate Jonathan Bramall (pictured below) is once again following in his father Chris Bramall's footsteps to fight for a Parliamentary seat.

Mr Bramall (junior) is no stranger to appearing on the ballot papers in Dudley South - having represented the Lib Dems in the constituency in 2005 and 2010.

He told the News: “I was disappointed with how the Lib Dems dealt with tuition fees which is why I didn’t stand last time but with everything that’s going on with Donald Trump and Brexit and the changes that lie ahead for the country and this area I thought it was time to get back involved again.”

Now 34 and a father-of-one, he said he feels “the job Jeremy Corbyn has done in opposition is not good enough, it’s time we had some credible opposition”.

The Lib Dems, who were almost wiped out locally in the last election, are campaigning to steer clear of a hard Brexit and keen to keep Britain in the single market.

Mr Bramall, a data privacy consultant, said: “I find it difficult to have faith in our Prime Minister in terms of our plans for Brexit when a year ago they were against it and they keep changing their minds.

“It’s time to stand up for your principles in terms of what’s best for this country; I don’t believe we should be leaving the single market.”