Ashfield residents on what is influencing how they will vote in the General Election

'I live in Kirkby-in-Ashfield and that gets virtually nothing'

With Ashfield set to be one of the most contested seats in the upcoming General Election, residents have been revealing the issues that matter most in deciding which way they vote.

They have said they want to see funding better used - especially having more put towards the NHS, mental health services and high streets.

And with nearly 70 percent of the constituency voting to leave the EU in 2016, Brexit is still a major issue for many voters who feel “nothing else matters” until it is resolved.

Nottinghamshire Live spoke to residents ahead of the election on December 12 to find out more about the big influences behind their vote.

Wayne Archer, a taxi driver from Kirkby-in-Ashfield, thinks more needs to be invested in the town’s high street - so it can compete with those in surrounding areas - and in the NHS.

The 59-year-old said: “I want to see funding go to places where it should, like the health service, and not necessarily always to preserving old buildings and things.

“That would give me more faith in it all. The high street here is a bit poor too. I live in Kirkby-in-Ashfield and that gets virtually nothing added there.

“Money needs to be spent on things that will actually benefit people. I care about people more than politicians do I guess.”

George Thorne, a 45-year-old mechanic based in Sutton-in-Ashfield, will be voting with the aim of seeing Brexit resolved.

He said: “Brexit is of course the big issue. I voted to leave and still want to see that happen.

“Nothing else really matters because we can’t deal with anything else we sort that out.

“It’s only democratic and right for us to actually leave first.”

The candidates hoping to become Ashfield’s next MP are Lee Anderson (Conservative), Natalie Fleet (Labour), Jason Zadrozny (Ashfield Independents), Martin Daubney (Brexit Party), Rebecca Wain (Liberal Democrat) and Rose Woods (Green Party).

Philip Sweeting - whose desire to see Brexit resolved means that he will “probably vote Conservative” - is a 68-year-old retiree living in Teversal, Ashfield.

He added: “I must say Brexit is a big issue and we should leave before anything else is addressed.

“I think that climate change is a big problem too and we need to tackle that without collapsing our economy. It's not as big an interest for politicians as it should be.”

Jane Beckford, a mother-of-two who works in social care and lives in Sutton-in-Ashfield, also agrees the uncertainty around Brexit needs addressing, despite voting to remain in the EU in 2016.

Mrs Beckford added: “I think more needs to be spent on our NHS and mental health services. Everyone knows someone who has struggled to deal with health problems and we need to put that right.

“Brexit is an issue that needs solving first too, even though I do not want to leave.

"It’s all gone on for too long now and left people like me exhausted.”

Residents also spoke of how social issues in areas like Ashfield need addressing too and people should not expect the NHS’s services to be expanded.

Colin Brooks, a 67-year-old former miner from Sutton-in-Ashfield, said: “For me the issue is crime and how contributing social issues can be tackled.

“I think our health service is the best in the world and we would not get better. I have had cancer three times in the last 30 years and it was helped with the NHS.”

You can watch the Nottinghamshire Live Ashfield hustings here where candidates outlined their policies and views.