John Shaw: Why I'm standing as Lib Dem candidate for MP for Basingstoke

I've lived in Basingstoke for over two decades. It's a great place and I'm proud to call it home, but I know it could be better.

I'm honoured to have been selected as the Liberal Democrat candidate for the constituency of Basingstoke at the General Election on 8 June 2017.

I'm passionate about education, health, housing and will join the many Basingstoke residents who disagree with Theresa May's hard Brexit.

Our local schools need investment so that we give our children the best possible start in life.

We need to build more homes so that young people, as well as teachers, nurses, carers and the police, can afford to live in the area.

Our NHS is in crisis. All too often a lack of care in the community means operations are cancelled and money wasted. We need to bring social care and the NHS together.

And we need more Liberal Democrats MPs across the country to prevent a disastrous hard Brexit that will damage our economy, starve essential services of funding and make us all worse off.

Only the Liberal Democrats can prevent a Conservative majority. The Labour Party is in a mess, fighting amongst themselves rather than acting as the effective opposition this country so urgently needs. UKIP doesn't know what it stands for any more now that the Conservatives have adopted many of their policies.

I have a long track record of campaigning for local people, having served as Councillor for Brookvale and Kings Furlong on Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council between 1998 and 2014 (during which time I held a number of senior posts including Cabinet Member for Recreation and Culture) and represented Basingstoke North West on Hampshire County Council. I have also been a partner governor of an NHS hospital trust and board member of a local involvement network representing the needs of patients.

On 8 June, we have a chance to change the direction of the country. A chance to make Britain more open, united and successful. Voting Liberal Democrat will make our town and our country an even better place.

That's why I'm standing as Liberal Democrat candidate for MP for Basingstoke.