We asked you to submit your questions to candidates standing in the 2024 General Election.
From all your submissions, we chose 10 that represented the broad issues you wanted answers to.
We asked every candidate we had contact details for to respond.
We’ll be publishing them in the run-up to the General Election with the responses from the candidates who replied from each constituency.
These are the answers are from candidates standing in the Whitehaven & Workington constituency.
What will you do to address the damage caused by Brexit, and what will you do to improve trade with the EU?
Andrew Johnson, the Conservative Party
I’m sorry but I don’t agree with the premise of the question. The British people voted for Brexit and the Conservative government delivered it.
Of course, there are still regulatory and trade issues with the block that need to be resolved but given recent events across the continent it would seem that even once committed European nations are growing weary of the European Project.
We will by dint of geography always be a close ally of the EU, but now are making progress on other global trading opportunities, with the UK remaining one of the top destinations for foreign direct investment and our post-Brexit UK trade reached record real terms highs.
Josh MacAlister, Labour
We’ve left the EU but the deal that was negotiated by Johnson is poor and we can and should do better. Labour will improve that deal to help boost British growth.
We can have a better relationship with our nearest allies and trading partners. We’ve had enough of our EU policy being driven by internal Tory ideology.
Jill Perry, of the Green Party
Green MPs will push for rejoining the EU as soon as the members states would have us and the UK population is in favour.
In the meantime we will join the Customs Union to improve trade, rejoin Erasmus so our students can study and forge links in other EU countries and we will push for a speedy return to free movement of people.
Chris Wills, Liberal Democrats
Brexit has failed and severely damaged our economy.
It feels like an ancient time in our history but I remember getting ready to accept a severing of much institutional relationship, whilst keeping a healthy trade deal that didn’t compromise the Good Friday agreement.
What has resulted is the exposing of the weaknesses of our constitution, especially the divisive first past the post vote in the same old uselessness scenario.
Brexit has also brought populism to a dangerous position in the UK.
Brexit has also brought to the forefront some terrible politicians.
The UK should now head towards the Single Market. Business will welcome this – along with many of our young and coming voters who feel disenfranchised.
David Surtees, Reform UK
Cumbria Crack received no answers from Mr Surtees. Just before the election was called, he was diagnosed with cancer and is undergoing six weeks of treatment, which he said had curtailed his ability to campaign.
