The candidates for the three Medway constituencies have been answering questions live on KentOnline this evening at a hustings.

The KM Group and KMTV teamed up with the Universities at Medway and Maxim PR to present the hustings at its Gillingham campus.

Doors to the Pilkington Building opened at 5.30pm, with the first hustings, for the Rochester and Strood constituency, starting at 5.45pm.

After an hour, it was be the turn of candidates for Gillingham and Rainham to face the voters, before the final session at 8.15pm, for the Chatham and Aylesford seat.

The Lib Dems, Greens and Labour all confirmed their attendance, but Conservative hopefuls Kelly Tolhurst and Nathan Gamester said they would not be taking part during the campaign, while Rehman Chishti said he was concentrating on engaging with people directly.

Candidates had the opportunity to make their pitch to voters, be asked about key topics for their area, and then faced audience-submitted questions.

See below for key points of the discussion.

Live updates to follow

21:15 - Hustings closes

21:06

Audience question: how can we avoid corruption, misogyny, and victim-blaming in Kent Police?

Nicholas Chan says Lib Dems would get rid of the police and crime commissioner role and use that money to reinvest in fighting crime locally.

Tristan Osborne says problems within local forces need to be rooted out but generally anti-social behaviour is not felt to be dealt with and many people report crimes which are never followed up on.

He says it’s important to bring police with the government in order to progress together and improve the overall force.

He thinks there may be room for reform for small offensives which undoes the damage but not through a custodial sentence.

Kim Winterbottom says she agrees that there is a problem within the police in terms of sexism and misogyny and the Green Party wants to address that.

She says bad practice needs to be stamped out from the police force.

Thomas Mallon says women’s safety is paramount and Reform too would abolish the police and crime commissioner role and reinvest that.

Reform would build 10,000 new prison places and increase police numbers to crack down on crime.

21:00

Q: Politics is sometimes about hard decisions, what’s a hard decision which needs to be made?

Thomas Mallon says there aren’t any problems with the party’s policies.

Nicholas Chan believes foreign policies are often kicked to the back page of manifestoes, but he says it’s important to consider Russia and China’s challenges to the UK’s way of life.

He says all policies are good if there is an honest discussion about them.

Tristan Osborne says 30,000 extra officers on the streets would not be popular amongst criminals after years of neglect by the Conservatives.

Kim Winterbottom says immigration is a contentious issue and the Green Party is advocating for safe routes for asylum seekers and migrants.

She says it is inhumane how the UK is treating refugees, but it’s not just a problem here but around the world.

20:53

Audience Q: we have a skills shortage, how do you intend to address skills shortages in industry and manufacturing to help them grow?

Kim Winterbottom says the UK is an ageing population and that we need more people to move to the UK.

She says we need to open up the education system to direct students into all paths and industries.

She says there’s no easy solution but freedom of movement is needed.

Thomas Mallon says apprenticeships are the way forward, as they set out career paths for young people.

He says Reform would give tax breaks to companies who employ apprentices so they can get a career.

Nicholas Chan says Chatham Docks offers one of the highest-paid apprenticeship programmes in the country and the Lib Dems would have conversations with businesses to help them to grow.

He says partnerships are needed to give confidence for young apprentices so that it is a solid career path.

Tristan Osborne says it starts at schools, making sure schools are well-invested in to fund them properly.

He says it’s about allowing a wide range of courses at schools and colleges to equip all kinds of industries.

He says what the country needs is to plan what industries will be big in the next 10, 20, 30 years, and invest to equip young people.

20:46

Audience member asks Tristan Osborne why Labour has decided to row back investment in climate change and asks other parties what they are doing about climate change.

Tristan Osborne says he teaches geography and teaches climate change and he says Labour’s first steps are around how to deal with climate issues.

He says they will invest in green infrastructure and transition away from reliance on fossil fuels.

He says the economy is not in a good place and so promises about what the next government can do aren’t easy and so frugality is necessary.

Kim Winterbottom says climate change is a huge issue for the Greens and they would phase out fossil fuels and bring energy into public ownership.

She says they would emphasise public transport and help farmers become more environmentally friendly.

She says the technology is there but too much investment is with the oil and gas companies.

Thomas Mallon says it is necessary to use new technologies to overcome the climate crisis and using our own energy sources to become less reliant on external sources.

Nicholas Chan says no one should have energy poverty and so the Lib Dems would ensure all houses are well insulated across the country.

He also says the Lib Dems would ban fracking because of the pollution which it causes.

20:39

An audience member asks how we can make the NHS attractive as a place to work and grow our own doctors and nurses.

Nicholas Chan says parties need to work together and provide confidence to workers that there is a joint agreement to support the health service and that it is not a political football.

Tristan Osborne says multiyear settlements would give certainty to staff that they are going to be paid well consistently across a number of years.

He says training is important but it largely does come down to money, particularly investing in technology advances.

Kim Winterbottom says the government has not recognised the hard work of NHS workers during Covid and instead they need to listen to those who are actually on the frontline.

Thomas Mallon says the NHS is a big priority for Reform UK and he says it should be pharmacy first, GP second, hospitals third to relieve pressure on A&E.

He says the Tory party has made it so only so many people can be trained at one time and Reform would look to train more.

He says Reform would make it so health and social care professionals would pay no tax in the first three years of their career.

20:30

Audience questioner says all panellists recognise the problem, but what about the solution? What are parties going to do to raise the funds needed to undo the decline?

Thomas Mallon says EU red tape which still ties up the UK would save money to put into the NHS and says it is necessary to leave the European Convention on Human Rights, which is a proper Brexit.

Nicholas Chan says it will take time to fix the problem and the Lib Dems have a fully costed plan to fix the situation.

He says the Lib Dems want to encourage international cooperation on research.

Tristan Osborne says it’s difficult to invest on the scale required because of the UK’s economic situation.

He says in 1997 there were major problems which seemed insurmountable but over the Labour government were solved.

He says we need a workforce strategy, investment in services such as mental health and NHS dentistry, and closer relationships with the EU to get EU workers into the NHS.

He says this would be funded through removing non-dom tax loopholes.

Kim Winterbottom says those with the broadest shoulders should pay the most and the Greens would tax the super-rich in order to deliver the massive investment required.

She says it’s diabolical the way NHS staff are undersupported, undervalued, and underpaid.

She says prevention is also important in keeping people who don’t need to be in hospital out of hospital.

20:24

Q: What changes are needed to reduce health inequalities?

Kim Winterbottom says she sees many GP surgeries where people simply cannot get appointments.

She says it’s a deliberate move by the Tories and the Greens would invest in GP services and hospitals to bring the UK up to European standards.

Thomas Mallon says the problem is staff retention because the pay is better elsewhere.

He says Reform’s policy is to scrap university loans and their interest to encourage doctors and nurses to stay in the UK.

Nicholas Chan thanks healthcare professionals for their service during the pandemic.

He says the Lib Dems would put 8,000 health professionals back into the community, so GPs are more active at catching problems first.

Tristan Osborne says in 2012 the NHS was centre stage of the Olympic opening ceremony, but says so much has changed.

He says the NHS has been allowed to deteriorate and he would ask the Tory candidate why this has happened if he were here.

He says Labour has committed to 40,000 extra appointments every week, investment in mental health nurses, and all paid for by a tax on non-domiciles.

20:18

The final constituency husting is for Chatham and Aylesford.

Nicholas Chan, Lib Dems, speaks first, saying politics is incredibly important and says during his spare time he advocates for better social housing conditions.

He says if families are given a fair start in life we all benefit across society.

Kim Winterbottom for the Greens says Chatham and Aylesford is an area she deeply cares about.

She says the Greens have been making a great deal of progress and it’s about time for Green progress in Chatham and Aylesford.

Tristan Osborne for Labour says he’s a schoolteacher locally in Medway and he says he’s interwoven into the local community.

He says lots of people are looking for a change in Chatham and Aylesford and hopefully they will put their faith in Labour.

Thomas Mallon says he represents the youngest party on the panel, Reform, and represents real change.

He says his party would make actual changes, give people their money back into their pockets.

He says the purpose of the party is to improve the standard of living after years of decline.

20:00

Q: What experience from your personal life spurred you to get into politics?

Stuart Bourne says COVID made him recognise the importance of volunteering and community and that’s why he’d be an MP who outreaches into the community because they know what they need.

Kate Belmonte set up a charity combating loneliness in the pandemic and saw the impact it had on the most vulnerable.

Naushabah Khan says her real focus is on homelessness, having worked with a homelessness charity, and wants to set up a permanent shelter in Medway.

She says the change needs to come from structural powers to make the most difference.

Rizvi Rawoof says he does a lot of volunteer work and has met a lot of people and feels he could help them with their problems.

19:55

An audience member asks about the pollution in seas and rivers and what the candidates would do to take on the water companies.

Naushabah Khan says the water companies have been allowed to get away with it and so Labour would introduce faster fines and bigger fines for repeat offenders.

Kate Belmonte asks why private companies are controlling water when it’s an essential resource.

She says the Greens would renationalise and control it and improve the quality.

Stuart Bourne says the Lib Dems have been leading on this issue in Medway and measuring the levels of E. Coli.

Lib Dems plan to ban bonuses for water company bosses and would abolish OfWat because it is not fit for purpose and is being bought off by the water companies.

He also says money from the water would be used to fund local journalists to follow up on bad practice.

19:45

Audience questioner asks about Reform candidates saying Britain would be better off if it had taken Hitler up on an offer of neutrality and asks the other panelists how it feels about how well Reform is polling.

Kate Belmonte says she understands where Reform comes from, but the blaming of problems on immigration is simply wrong and the problem actually comes from the wealthy and American takeovers of British businesses.

Stuart Bourne says Lib Dems believe in listening to all points of view and he respects Reform’s right to exist but the specific comments referenced are indefensible.

Naushabah Khan says the politics of division are completely abhorrent and she suffers a great deal of racism online attempting to make her feel like she doesn’t belong.

Next question: if you could achieve just one thing as MP, what would you do?

Naushabah Khan says the reinvigoration of Gillingham town centre which has not been dealt with for many years when it has really needed help.

Stuart Bourne says he wants to be the most engaging MP, saying Rehman Chisthi has been ignoring residents, but he also says he has a personal passion for allotments and would look to bring about more.

Kate Belmonte says housing is a huge problem in Medway and would like to see the building of social housing on brownfield sites and improving schools.

19:42

Stuart Bourne says Brexit was very divisive and his father voted to leave because he didn’t feel part of Europe anymore.

He says people don’t want to talk about Brexit anymore, they want to talk about the issues facing them.

He says companies in Kent are suffering because of the consequences of Europe, so the UK needs a better agreement with the EU and long-term the plan is to rejoin the single market.

Kate Belmonte says she voted to leave and regrets it as it has not been implemented properly.

She says we have had Brexit and it hasn’t worked and so the Green Party would seek to rejoin at the right moment.

She says the divide and conquer method of political parties needs to stop and those who championed Brexit should face consequences.

19:23

Next question is on driving through Rainham and the red routes scheme - is it actually doing anything or just a money spinner?

Naushabah Khan says the red route is one scheme for dealing with the problems, but it is very early days.

She says some areas are asking for red routes because of the problem with people parking on double yellow lines.

She says air quality is some of the worst in Gillingham and Rainham but red routes are only a part of solving that problem.

Stuart Bourne says red routes were originally marketed as a solution to congestion but they simply aren’t.

He says he wonders if Tory councillors will stop shouting about red routes and instead pursue better investment to improve traffic flow.

He says he has seen the problems which red routes are there to solve and he wants a range of solutions.

Mr Rawoof says the potholes are more like craters and the red routes are rather unimportant.

Kate Belmonte says the community were asked for their opinions and then the decision was made which disregarded those opinions.

She says we’re not seeing a reduction in the number of cars and the money would’ve been better spent on public transport, but Nashahbah Khan says the money couldn’t be used for public transport.

Audience member asks if Rizvi Rawoof said that people who could pay for healthcare should pay but Mr Rawoof says that’s not right, but then says Reform UK policy is to incentivise people who can pay more should.

Audience member asks if he is advocating for a dual health service.

Next question: if elected, would you support an immediate unconditional ceasefire in Gaza and cease arm licences to Israel?

Stuart Bourne says it’s an important question and anyone can see the devastation which has been unleashed.

He says the Lib Dems have led the way on the issue calling for a ceasefire, and says it’s not an either/or situation as there are people on both sides who want the war to end.

He says his party is 100% in favour of a ceasefire and end of arms licences and a two-state solution.

Naushabah Khan says she went to Israel and Gaza last year before the conflict and she says she saw people who want an end to the fighting and she has always pursued a ceasefire.

She says a two-state solution which recognises Palestine is the only way forward, but immediate aid needs to be got into Gaza.

Kate Belmonte says the Green Party were the first to call for a ceasefire within 24 hours of the October 7 attacks.

She says the Green Party would never sell arms to Israel as they believe in disarmament.

Rizvi Rawoof says both sides are being demonised to some extent, and he wants a two-state solution and a ceasefire should be done immediately.

Kate Belmonte says if Britain has sold the arms which displace people we have an obligation to take them in.

Peter Cook, independent candidate in the seat, says Brexit has done massive damage to the country and although Mr Rawoof may be a nice person Nigel Farage runs a racist party.

He asks what will be done about Brexit.

Naushabah Khan says she was remain but accepts the results of the referendum.

Personally, she says, she understands why some chose to vote leave but we now need a better relationship with Europe and to find a way to give better opportunities for young people.

19:11

First question is about Medway Maritime: what do you think are the biggest issues facing the hospital and what needs to be done?

Stuart Bourne completely agrees and has a friend whose mother stayed in the corridor for two days.

He says the two problems are a broken social care system and people not getting GP appointments and being forced to go to A&E.

Lib Dems would increase the wages of those who work in social care but also recruit 8,000 more GPs into the system.

This would be paid for with a massive investment into the NHS.

Kate Belmonte says as someone with many disabilities she has seen the NHS change over time.

She says the workers there are fantastic but the government, and Labour before them, have been privatising the NHS and it has been deliberately underfunded.

She says doctors should be given fair pay because many are being drawn away into private practices because they pay better.

She says Labour’s plans are just not enough and the Greens would use a wealth tax on millionaires and billionaires to pay for massive investment.

Naushabah Khan says everyone has a story about the NHS but she disagrees with Kate that Labour were just the same, and this is the fault of the Tories.

She says she finds it frustrating that MP Rehman Chishti talks big about delivering a new hospital but votes to underfund the NHS.

She says there needs to be immediate action to tackle the problem, including helping people in the UK to train to be doctors and nurses.

At a local level, she says, the government and the council could work together to attract people to Medway to work in the hospital.

Rizvi Rawoof says people can’t get a GP appointment and Reform UK would support students in studying medicine and writing off student loan interest.

Audience questioner asks what all candidates would do to expose corruption in Medway Council and Kent police.

Kate Belmonte says in order to get rid of corruption everything needs to be transparent, with all meetings being public.

She says a focus is seeing where political parties get their funding from.

Naushabah Khan says as a councillor she has never touched a brown envelope, and says the government’s corruption around PPE contracts was disgusting.

Rizvi Rawoof says there should be transparency in everything local and national governments do.

Stuart Bourne says there is always a problem when politics and policing come together and he says he would get rid of the police and crime commissioner position because it’s a waste of money which could be better spent on policing.

19:05

We’re now starting the second husting, this time for Gillingham and Rainham.

The first 90 second statement is from Labour’s Naushabah Khan, who says this election is really important.

It’s set against the background of a low trust in politicians and struggling public services and if elected she will fight to restore trust and deliver what people need.

Rizvi Rawoof says the government has been turning a blind eye to illegal immigration which has caused problems for the country, such as long waiting lists.

Says Reform UK would freeze non-essential immigration.

Kate Belmonte said she never thought she would join the Green Party, but they are the only ones who are concerned about the climate crisis - which she says would truly cause huge amounts of immigration.

She says she wants the people who have the most to pay the most and working people are struggling because of a lack of investment.

Stuart Bourne, Lib Dems, says he’s born and bred in Medway and says he’s standing because he looks around the Towns and feels they have been ignored.

Sewage in the rivers, neglected schools, and working people paying bills, trying to raise a family, are struggling and need a fair deal.

18:32

Q: How will you increase access to doctors and dentists?

Graham Colley says things have been run down over many years and it will take a lot of time to fix.

He says it requires a long-term plan but also needs a focus on general health improvements.

Lauren Edwards says Labour would use money from taxing oil companies to clear the backlog with evening and weekend appointments, as well as training up the doctors and dentists of the future.

Cat Jamieson says there has been serious neglect of the NHS and she says it’s been a deliberate choice in the pursuit of privatisation.

She says Greens would invest heavily with a wealth tax on millionaires and billionaires and would pay all NHS staff a fair wage.

Daniel Dabin says mass immigration means 2.4 million more people into the country requiring more services and so controls on immigration are required.

On a local level he says housebuilding companies must build local infrastructure if they want to build houses in the area.

An audience member asks how it’s the immigrants’ fault the government has failed to invest but Mr Dabin says that’s not what he said.

Graham Colley says there are enough dentists but they are not paid properly by the NHS and so the contract needs changing.

Lauren Edwards says there are S106 contributions from builders but they are not enough and so she will pursue greater contributions.

She says the blame for the state of the NHS is the Tories, not immigration.

An audience member asks if Mr Dabin agrees with Nigel Farage that Brexit has been a failure but Mr Dabin says it’s mainstream media propaganda.

Mr Dabin says Nigel Farage was right to say the failure is in the implementation of Brexit.

Graham Colley says Lib Dems are the party of Europe and says look at other EU countries to see Brexit has been a failure.

He says we should be as close to the EU as possible.

Lauren Edwards says the oven ready deal was anything but and people are feeling worse off because of Brexit.

She says she respects the referendum result but the agreement needs to be renegotiated to drive economic growth.

Cat Jamieson says the economic losses and the staff shortages, as well as the small boats crisis, are all the consequences of Brexit.

She finds it depressing that young people do not have the opportunities anymore and the Green party would rejoin the EU at the right time.

18:29

Cat Jamieson says with diversity it’s important to find the commonalities and we should be investing in community events and the arts so people can come together and meet each-other.

Daniel Dabin asks the rest of the panel if they feel that people who come from other countries can’t feel proud to be British, but they seem confused at the relevance to the discussion.

Cat Jamieson says Brexit has pushed Britishness into decline and there is a large amount of clapping.

18:25

Daniel Dabin says he didn’t say Britain should export its morals around the world, but only that British people should be proud of who they are.

Graham Colley says Thatcher said there is no such thing as society and he says he disagreed then and disagrees now.

He says we need to move to a society where the individual is balanced with the needs of the community.

Lauren Edwards says it’s a great thing people are coming to Medway, and it’s not actually people from London moving here but people from across Kent.

She says we need to celebrate diversity and the variety of communities in Medway - who all share British values.

18:20

Questioner asks how candidates would bring the people of Medway back together due to demographic changes that have come about over the years.

Daniel Dabin says we need to make people proud of their country again.

He says Britain has always stood for what they feel is morally correct wherever it is around the world.

An audience member asks what he means by moral correctness and he replies Britain felt morally obliged to stop the invasion of Kuwait by Iraq because it was the right thing to do.

The audience member asks if there are not unintended consequences. Mr Dabin interprets this as them saying the war was only about oil, but the questioner says that’s not what they were asking.

18:18

Q: How would you represent residents?

Lauren Edwards says she would meet with the water companies but also a Labour government would be much tougher in terms of regulation.

Graham Colley says regulation of the companies is key and they should be brought back into public ownership.

Daniel Dabin says he would raise the matter at parliament and put pressure on the water companies and don’t stop until it’s sorted.

18:16

Cat Jamieson says rivers and streams are in an awful state and the Green Party would renationalise the water companies.

Lauren Edwards says no-one would swim in the river and it is down to the water companies, who have failed to invest and have instead been paying off shareholders.

She says they have been able to do this because of the Tory government and Labour would ban bonuses for water company bosses and would regulate much more.

18:14

Question from online: would you swim in the River Medway?

Graham Colley says no and the Lib Dems have done their own testing for E. Coli and would not want to risk it.

Daniel Dabin says it’s a good example of failed services from Labour council and a Tory MP. He says taxes are too high for the level of services being received.

Graham Colley says it’s down to Southern Water but Dabin says that’s just passing the buck.

Dabin says Chatham Docks is another example, where the Tories kept it hanging over the people to keep them voting for them.

Colley says it’s due to the privatisation of the water companies.

18:12

An audience member asks Lauren Edwards specifically if she will actually represent everyone or just those who support Labour values.

She says absolutely she’s interested in collaboration and co-operation

18:04

The first audience question is about red routes, saying there was a public consultation on the scheme and it was rejected but put through anyway and Chatham Docks are another example of local feeling overridden.

Daniel Dabin says the reason he is in politics is because he has been completely ignored and politicians are a separate entity from the people.

He says politicians need to understand they work for the public.

Graham Colley says he doesn’t know why Labour changed their view on Chatham Docks but he says Lib Dems are interested in good jobs for locals.

He says Lib Dems are all about consulting with local people on local issues.

Lauren Edwards says the majority of respondents did not reject red routes, but only in some areas, and they have been rolled out elsewhere in the country and have been very successful.

She says as long as you’re not stopping where you shouldn’t be, there should be no problem.

Some members of the audience interrupt in opposition to the red routes.

On Chatham Docks, she says she supports jobs in Rochester and Strood and says she’s on track to deliver 1,000 jobs by 2027.

She says the decision was made by an independent planning committee based upon the application and the approval was made more likely by the lack of a Local Plan from the previous administration.

She also says she will support the previous MP’s, Kelly Tolhurst, request for a call-in to the department of levelling up, housing, and communities.

Cat Jamieson says the current approach is too top-down and should instead be about community-led.

She says she opposed the red routes on Corporation Street and now they have been put in the traffic is exactly the same.

17:59

An online questioner asks about young people trusting in politics and becoming engaged in the political process.

Lauren Edwards says it’s vitally important to involve young people in politics and it’s understandable why trust has fallen in politicians.

She says she became involved because she was angry about the way Boris Johnson and Matt Hancock were acting and she says she will restore trust by being truthful and open if she is elected.

Graham Colley says you have to look at the underlying factors and says the constitutional system we have is divesting young people from politics.

He says the lack of proportional representation encourages Labour and Tories (he calls Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee) to just play politics.

Daniel Dabin says he will rebuld trust by doing a good job. He says it is not acceptable to maintain the status quo.

He says the country needs leadership and vision and has been lacking for a long time.

“Do a good job, problem solved” he says.

Cat Jamieson says she’s not surprised young people are uninterested in politics because of all the scandals which we have seen over the past few years.

She says the penalty for politicians who break the rules should be harsher because they are supposed to be setting the example.

She says no one has taken accountability for the lies from Brexit.

She says the Green Party would have a ‘fair politics’ act which would bring about more transparency and higher standards.

17:55

On the first question on how you assure residents you will stand up for them, Cat Jamieson says she has learnt through her time as a Green party member of working at the grassroots level.

Lauren Edwards says her role on Medway Council as a councillor has enabled her to connect with residents and understand the issues they face.

She also says, as a cabinet member, she understands the working of government and will be able to make the most of a Labour government.

Graham Colley says the Lib Dems are “pavement politicians” who liaise with real people out in the world.

He says becoming a Lib Dem MP is difficult and they only get there because of local reputation.

Daniel Dabin says there are lots of issues which need to be tackled and he says local taxes are too high.

He also says energy costs are too high and should focus on using Britain’s own resources rather than imports.

He says Reform UK will hold whichever government to account because ordinary people are paying the price.

17:45 - Hustings begin

The candidates for the first of the three constituencies tonight, Rochester and Strood, are setting out why they think they deserve to represent the area in Parliament.

First, Daniel Dabin, for Reform UK, says he’s chosen to stand because of the “utter mess” of the past 30 years.

He says there are levels of economic vandalism due to policies from both major parties and he felt he had to try and do something about it.

Graham Colley, Lib Dems, a local solicitor in Rochester, says he too has seen the chaos which has been affecting the country since Thatcher.

He says there should be a combination of individual enterprise and government planning to give everyone a fair deal.

Lauren Edwards, Labour, says there is an opportunity to turn the corner and says Kelly Tolhurst isn’t here this evening to defend her poor record.

She says Labour has fixed Tory messes before and can do again and she wants to bring pride back to Rochester and Strood.

She will fight for investment from central government and says she will be a stronger voice for Rochester and Strood than there has been for years.

Cat Jamieson, Green party candidate, says her party is the only one willing to tackle all of the challenges facing the country at this moment.

It’s not afraid to be bold, she says, and she says all issues are interconnected and need to be addressed in a joined up way.

She says she came to Medway for work in her twenties and has worked with many groups across the Towns, but she has stayed because of the fabulous people.