There are four weeks to go before polling stations open their doors to voters to cast their ballots on General Election day, July 4.
A range of issues are concerning people in Scunthorpe thinking about how they will vote, from the NHS to livening up of the town centre. Grimsby Live spoke to people in the town centre on a blustery midweek morning.
Like in Grimsby and Cleethorpes, there was also a notable mood of disillusionment with politics generally, expressed by a number of people asked. Whether this anecdotal evidence of apathy is borne out by voter turnout remains to be seen.
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“National Health Service, it’s got to be,” said John Cook, passing through Queen Elizabeth Memorial Gardens. “That’s the main thing.” He confirmed when asked that this issue was at least partly linked to Scunthorpe General Hospital and proposed changes there.
“The economy’s the economy. We’re governed by a lot of other factors external to this country.”
“It’s mainly the way the National Health Service is going,” he said was why it was his chief concern. He mentioned a relative on a waiting list for two years, and talked about wanting easier access to GPs. “It’s just simple things like getting into see your doctor.
“To me, the doctors are employed by the government, I don’t understand why the government haven’t told them you’re going to see people,” he said, expressing dismay at fewer face-to-face appointments.
(Image: Donna Clifford)
He also added he was annoyed by the mix and match of private healthcare within the healthcare system, noting those with cash could use private to see people sooner.
Michelle and Anne expressed a negative view of the current prime minister. They hoped for better representation of working class concerns in government.
John on the High Street near Starbuck’s also felt more was needed for the working class. “I’m not being funny, it doesn’t matter who I vote for, they’re not going to do anything for the working man.”
(Image: Donna Clifford)
“I pay my taxes, my National Insurance, I’ve worked since 13, and I get nothing.” The retirement age going up to 68 he also did not support. “Hang on a minute, who’s to say I’m going to be fit to work at 65?” He currently did not work due to personal circumstances, and expressed frustration that he was not entitled to any benefits support because of his wife’s earnings.
John raised concerns about asylum seekers on benefits. He suggested a voucher scheme could help direct use of benefits money, and generally wanted migrants to work, to contribute to society. He was not the only individual in the town centre who raised migration as an issue.
John also observed the generational difference in society with earnings, noting the “war babies” or generation born just after WW2 had more. As mentioned, a number of people expressed disillusionment with politics generally. “The town’s in a mess,” said one man on a bench, who wanted more police and suggested nothing would change come the election result.
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Claire Ricketts, her daughter KC and mother Sue Hopkinson, shared critique of the town centre’s offering. “More decent shops,” Sue said was something she wanted to see, with the trio noting there were too many of the likes of nail bars and hairdressers.
“They need to lower the rent on the premises and then they might actually get people in the shops,” Claire said. “We used to come to town twice a week and we used to go to the local cafe,” she said, but now barely go once a week.
KC also raised the issue of bikes and electric scooters through the town centre and a nearby mall. There needed to be more for young people, with at the moment a museum and bowling alleys.
Claire also talked about disabled accessibility. “Another thing we need, toilets for the disabled.” There was one in the market that could be used, but “none at the top end of town”. A ‘Changing Places’ disabled toilet is being constructed outside Scunthorpe Library, but this is not the end of town they felt especially lacked public toilet facilities.
(Image: Donna Clifford)
More locally still and on a more council level, she wants to see bins along Bridges Road, near high rise flats, as it was a popular school route. She volunteer litter picked with her disabled son. “We’re forever picking up rubbish.”
The full list of candidates for Scunthorpe County constituency, and all others in northern Lincolnshire, are due to be confirmed later this week.
Original artice: https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/all-about/scunthorpe
