Chance to question candidates about General Election
Tuesday 9 March 2010
Voters in Guildford can get a unique first opportunity to question the main candidates at a hustings event at the University of Surrey weeks before the General Election.
Candidates from all the major parties are attending.
Tim Shand, the Labour Party’s candidate, the Conservative party’s candidate and the sitting MP, Anne Milton, the Liberal Democrat candidate, Sue Doughty and UKIP's candidate, Mazhar Manzoor, will be on the panel for the Question Time-style debate.
The constituency is currently held by the Conservatives after a small majority of 347 over the Liberal Democrats at the last election in 2005.
Conservative Anne Milton, MP, was appointed Shadow Minister for Tourism and in July 2007 she was appointed Shadow Minister for Health.
Liberal Democrat candidate Sue Doughty is fighting the election to retake the seat from the Conservatives.
In 2001, Sue Doughty won the parliamentary election becoming the first non-Conservative MP in Surrey since 1906.
Roberta Guerrina, Head of the Politics Department at the University, who is organising the event, said: “This is the people of Surrey’s opportunity to question local candidates about the issues that really matter. With Guildford being such a marginal seat it is important to give local people a chance to question the candidates face to face”
The hustings event takes place on Thursday 25 March at 6:30pm at the Austin Pearce Building Lecture Theatres 3 & 4 at the University of Surrey.
As well as a public lecture on the role of women in Parliament by Sarah Childs a leading academic and Special Advisor to the Speaker of the House of Commons.
Tickets are available to the public, staff and students from the University Box Office: Telephone: 01483 686876, Email: boxoffice@surrey.ac.uk
Media enquiries: Howard Wheeler, Press Office at the University of Surrey, Tel: 01483 686141 or E-mail: h.wheeler@surrey.ac.uk
Notes to Editors:
The University of Surrey is one of the UK’s leading professional, scientific and technological universities with a world class research profile and a reputation for excellence in teaching and research. Ground-breaking research at the University is bringing direct benefit to all spheres of life – helping industry to maintain its competitive edge and creating improvements in the areas of health, medicine, space science, the environment, communications, defence and social policy. Programmes in science and technology have gained widespread recognition and it also boasts flourishing programmes in dance and music, social sciences, management and languages and law. In addition to the campus on 150 hectares just outside Guildford, Surrey, the University also owns and runs the Surrey Research Park, which provides facilities for 140 companies employing 2,700 staff.
The Sunday Times names Surrey as ‘The University for Jobs' which underlines the university’s growing reputation for providing high quality, relevant degrees.
Surrey is a member of the 1994 Group of 19 leading research-intensive universities. The Group was established in 1994 to promote excellence in university research and teaching. Each member undertakes diverse and high-quality research, while ensuring excellent levels of teaching and student experience.
www.1994group.ac.uk
Media Enquiries
Howard Wheeler, Press Office at the University of Surrey, Tel: +44 (0)1483 686141, or Email mediarelations@surrey.ac.uk