On the campaign trail in Bassetlaw

DOOR knocking and leafleting were at the fore as Bassetlaw's General Election candidates got down to the nitty gritty of their campaigns.

With just two weeks left to persuade people to vote for them, candidates have been hitting the campaign trail hard in a bid to get their messages across to the public.

And each candidate was positive about the feedback they received.

Liberal Democrat candidate David Dobbie has been printing his own leaflets as part of his campaign.

"I have been across the whole of Bassetlaw collecting 50 nominations – I only need 10, but because I know a lot of people in Bassetlaw I felt it would be better with 50.

"As I have not got the amount of money Labour or the Conservatives have, I have printed out 50,000 of my own leaflets as cost-effectively as possible. They are trying to buy the election.

"I have been in the Retford West ward helping our (district council) candidate there and we have received very positive feedback from the doorstep.

"People have been telling us of the big traffic problems on Queen Street where people are constantly double parked. "We want to create a one-way system to improve traffic flow and road safety on the street.

"It is difficult to campaign with the resources we have, but we will rely on leg work and dedication and not bank balances."

Conservative Keith Girling said he was upbeat about the impending election.

"It has been going very well. The word on the doorstep is totally different to the national picture. It has all been quite surprising.

"I have spent a lot of time dispelling the claims Labour have been putting out.

"They claim we are getting rid of the family tax credit so I have been telling parents at a Retford school that, yes, we are but only for people earning more than £50,000.

"The election will be decided on a mixture of things and I would urge people to not just look at local issues; it is a general election and not a local election.

"I'm upbeat about it. It's going to be very close. For the people of Bassetlaw it's a real opportunity for change. It has been Labour for far too long here and I hope people will give me a chance," he added.

Labour candidate John Mann said: "I have been very busy, seen lots of people and knocked on lots of doors.

"People have been very polite and usually very positive.

"The three main issues that have been brought up are immigration, the failings of Bassetlaw District Council and jobs.

"People will vote on a combination of issues, some will vote totally on national issues and some will vote purely on local issues.

"I have been all over the constituency – Retford, Worksop and Harworth – as well as lots of villages.

"People are much more positive about me than they are about the Government and Mr Cameron's Conservatives," he added.

The UK Independence Party candidate Andrea Hamilton was unavailable for comment at the time of going to press despite repeated efforts to contact her.

And at the 11th hour, a new candidate for Bassetlaw emerged – Worksop-based Independent Grahame Whitehurst, 60, is standing as an independent candidate.

Grahame was brought up in Langold and Carlton-in-Lindrick and went to the then King Edward VI Grammar School in Retford.

He said he cares very deeply for the people, the times and the life he knew as a child and a young man.

"I'm standing for parliament because I'm fed up with the self-servers the mainstream parties keep foisting upon us," he said.

"Did anyone out there vote for the following?

Iraq/Afghanistan; privatisation; the destruction of British industry; pit, pub and post office closures; Gordon Brown's raid upon the pension funds; dumbing-down; contempt for Christianity; hospital superbugs; pollution; drugs; political correctness; our laws being made in Brussels; gang rule; criminals indulged – victims ignored; globalisation; terrorism; mass immigration.

"Who wants our soldiers out of Afghanistan and an EU referendum?

"Who thinks the politicians will ever let us have what we want?

" If you choose me as your MP, I promise you there will be someone in Westminster who will go to war with them," he added.