The Alston Moor community last night held the first general election hustings for the Penrith and The Border seat, with all five parliamentary candidates in attendance. Over 100 local residents of all ages packed out the Alston Town Hall to hear from; Rory Stewart (Conservatives), Neil Hughes (Liberal Democrats), Lee Rushworth (Labour), John Stanyer (UKIP) and Bryan Burrow (Green). Most questions focused on the commitments each candidate would make on rural issues, such as the funding deal for rural councils and public transport provision. But candidates also fielded questions on the electoral voting system and commitments to renewable energy and tackling climate change.

Speaking afterwards, Rory Stewart said:

“It comes as no surprise that a community as passionate and dynamic as Alston, has been the first to organise a general hustings with all five parliamentary candidates. It was also a fantastic turn-out with nearly a hundred people attending. Alston is a symbol of community action – be it the community snow plough, the community ambulance, or the community’s successful efforts to save Alston hospital. I hope – whoever wins – Alston is able to continue to take more power at a local level. I have been immensely proud to stand alongside Alston community over the past five years as the local MP, fighting for those issues that matter most to the local community. If I am lucky enough to again earn their vote, I hope we can go even further to ensure Alston remains somewhere both wonderful and distinctive.”

Representatives from the five political parties fielding parliamentary candidates in Penrith and The Border, yesterday attended a hustings set up by The Cumbria Third Sector Network, that focused specifically on the local voluntary sector. According to Karen Bowen, the Chief Officer of the Cumbria Council for Voluntary Service, who provided an overview of the voluntary work in Cumbria at the start of the debate, Cumbria has over 6000 voluntary organisations, drawing on the skills of over 50,000 local volunteers, who collectively give over 3.5m hours of voluntary work in Cumbria each year. Candidates were asked how the respective parties would better support volunteering, encourage more user involvement in the planning of public services and ensure that national policies take account of the needs of rural areas such as Cumbria.

Speaking on the platform was: Rory Stewart, the Conservative parliamentary candidate for Penrith and The Border; Chris Loynes, Green Party parliamentary candidate for Westmorland and Lonsdale; Roger Liddle, Labour peer and county councillor for Wigton; Neil Hughes, Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate for Penrith and The Border; and John Stanyer, UKIP Parliamentary Candidate for Penrith and The Border.

Speaking afterwards, Rory Stewart said:

“The voluntary sector is key to what we do here in Cumbria. Whether it is affordable housing, neighbourhood plans, mountain rescue, or palliative care at home, we are dependent upon the incredible generosity, energy and passion of thousands of volunteers. We need to ensure these organisations have the right support from Government, that we have in place a system that makes the act of volunteering easier, more enjoyable, and less bureaucratic, and that the genius and expertise of small, local charities is not lost as they struggle to compete against larger, more well-funded national charities. Cumbria has led the way nationally over the past five years when it comes to community and voluntary action. We have set up some incredible local projects that are having a real impact on local people’s lives, and I hope if I am fortunate enough to again earn the vote of local people in two week’s time, we can go on to do even more.”

Parliamentary candidate for Penrith and The Border, Rory Stewart, yesterday delivered a talk to the Bewcastle Heritage Society on the history of the Borderlands. The talk drew over 80 people from both sides of the border, and built on the two-part BBC documentary he hosted last year called, Border Country – The Story Of Britain’s Lost Middleland. In the Summer of 2012, Rory Stewart walked from his home in the Lowther Valley across much of Cumbria, before heading up to his family home in Scotland. The photos and experiences from this walk formed the backdrop for much of his talk to the Bewcastle Heritage Society, looking at Hadrian’s Wall, the Bewcastle Cross, and the history of the Border reivers, and local farming families.

Rory Stewart said:

“As a Scot, living in England, I have always felt my identity spans across both sides of the border, and I consequently have a keen interest in the history of this region. I would argue that the construction of Hadrian’s Wall almost two thousand years ago, was possibly the single most important event in Britain’s history, and the cultural and political ramifications of the wall are still being felt today. It was great to engage in some really interesting debate with the Bewcastle Heritage Society, with people who interact with the border on a daily basis, and who perhaps have a greater appreciation than most of the impact it continues to play in our lives.”

Rory Stewart, Parliamentary candidate for Penrith and The Border, took time out of his campaign last Friday, to meet with local British Medical Association members at the Roundthorn Hotel in Penrith, where he delivered a talk on the rise and threat posed by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. A former deputy governor in Iraq during the 2003 Iraq war, as well as a former professor of International Human Rights at Harvard University, Rory Stewart is considered a leading expert in conflict throughout the Middle East, and served on the Foreign Affairs Select Committee and as Chair of the Defence Select Committee, during his first term in parliament. Rory Stewart has been a key proponent of a far more cautious approach to military intervention, that recognises the limits of our own capabilities. He has called for stronger reinvestment into the UK’s diplomatic services, to ensure local diplomats have the necessary historical and culture awareness, as well as the necessary language skills, to properly advise and shape British foreign policy.

Speaking at the BMA event, Rory Stewart said:

“Our failure to predict or anticipate the rise of the so called Islamic State, highlights a chronic under-investment in the Foreign Office and MoD going back decades, that has seen us lose much of the specialist country knowledge and on-the-ground expertise we were previously renowned for. People are rightly questioning what our involvement is doing to help local people in Iraq fight IS, and whilst our military support has helped to contain this terrorist organisation and prevent them spreading further, what is desperately needed is a political solution, led by Iraqis themselves. This must be where we invest our time, energy and support. Air strikes and military support on their own will not be sufficient to defeat them.”