Should candidates live local to the constituency that want to represent?

I agree. Our (Conservative) MP is a local man, lives locally and knows all about local issues. He does a very good job.

petra I knew David Ames for over 30 years, he was an excellent constituency MP, unfortunately he wasn’t mine.

My MP has gone awol 🤬

If an MP lives in their constituency, holds regular surgeries along with being seen to be approachable out and about in the area they get to know the people they represent along with the needs of the area.

I think they should. Same as footballers but the latter won't happen because too much money is involved.

When we first lived in Cornwall we had the wonderful David Penhaligon. Cornish born and bred and was involved in everything. Such a tragedy when he was killed. By the time we left the Tories were trying to shoe Seb Coe in.

Our local MP lives in the district and went to school locally too, yes, I think it does make a difference, he’s been very vocal and active on issues in the area.

M0nica, I absolutely agree that politicians should have life experience, but I still believe that they can't represent an area they don't live in (or that they only visit occasionally). The closure of a factory, a bypass or access road, spates of particular crimes and so on won't have the same impact on someone who lives miles away. How can a city dweller really understand the politics of hunting with hounds, or someone living in the country empathise with people in ULEZs?

David Ammes was my MP for many years. He lived locally and knew everyone. It was completely common place to see him in the local shops, not shopping but just having a chat with business owners.
He did a wonderful thing for my daughter’s friend. She was part of the campaign to get compensation for the horror of the mesh implants.
She had to go to parliament to speak. She couldn’t travel by public transport so he drove her there. A lovely man.

MOnica There are about 100,000 people living in this constituency. There has to be somebody better that the useless self-publicist (wannabe PM) that we have. When she was selected, the local Conservative party was sent a list of three candidates from Conservative HQ. One was involved in Referendum fraud, one was a make-weight and we were left with Mrs Waste of Space.

Doodledog But an MP will have experience of using public services etc, whereever they live, so I see no reason why their main home should be in the constituency. They may have chldren established in schools elsewhere, partners with jobs that require them to stay where they live.

That an MP needs a base in their constituency, I do agree, but the more demands we make on MPs in this way, the fewer people will put themselves forward for election and the poorer quality they will be and they will, as so many MPs are now doing, is come into Parliament for a 10 years or so as part of a long term career plan that includes parlieament as part of a career carried on away from parliament. We need more older people in Parliament who have had a good career outside Parliement and have the knowledge, experience, and wisdom to undertake the complicated tasks of being ministers.

People like - Keir Starmer - . And I am not a Labour supporter.

It’s not that straightforward though Paddyann54, is it?
I understand the Scottish parliament operates a partial PR system, as we do in Wales. That results in minority parties having elected MSPs I presume, and they operate on a regional list system. Example - I and many others were horrified when the infamous Neil Hamilton ended up as the UKIP regional list Welsh Assembly representative for the part of Wales where I live - he lives in Cheshire. That’s the way it works, those are the rules.

I never suggested they need to be born and bred here ,thats ridiculous ,but I do think they should live in the country...or better still the county they stand for.It makes sense to me that MP's should have local knowledge in all manner of areas .Remember we have a different system of LAW and education for starters ,be good if they were up to speed on that .At least.

M0nica

But what if the locally born and bred potetial candidate is totally useless, or clearly dodgy. Do you accept that rather than look for a really good candidate form somewhere else?

I have no issue with MPs not being born and bred locally. I think it matters that they live and spend time in the constituency though. Not just having a fancy holiday home, but using the schools, the doctor, driving on the roads seeing the impact of central policies on their families as well as their constituents.

62Granny

Yes definitely, our MP lives locally and I often see him around town shopping , or having lunch in a coffee shop. He isn't originally from this area, but him and his wife seem to have settled into the community. Our local councillors and Sennedd member are also local. I would not vote for someone who doesn't live locally . Although it didn't seem to be a thing years ago.

I agree.You don’t have to come from the area but should at least live in the area.

Yes they should. How else can they experience the difficulties and the needs required by the people they represent. It makes sense.

Of course, the best candidate. We had 4 local candidates to select from

But what if the locally born and bred potetial candidate is totally useless, or clearly dodgy. Do you accept that rather than look for a really good candidate form somewhere else?

Paddyanne What is the experience in Scotland? Are all SNP candidates locally born and bred or do you have examples of candidates born in Edinburgh servicing constituences in the north of the country or indeed the border lands?

winterwhite

I agree in principal but there are other considerations.
I would rather my MP was active at Westminster than fixing people’s fences, listening to complaints about pot holes, opening school fetes etc, all of which can just as well be done by local councillors. And MPs are not replacement social workers.
It would be a pity if promising potential MPs were left with no chance of finding a seat to contest.

Fixing people's fences, pot holes and opening schools fetes should all be done by local councillors - that's their role. That's what I meant when people don't seem to understand the responsibilities of various politicians.

However, MPs shouldn't just be concerned with airy fairy culture wars (as mine is). They need to know on the ground how people are affected by freezing the tax threshold, difficulties in accessing mental health care, waiting times to see a GP or having hospital treatment, the impossibility of finding an NHS dentist. problems in social care, difficulties in getting on the housing ladder, expense of rents and problems caused by short term tenancies and no fault evictions, efficiency of public transport etc etc etc. These are the issues which affect people's everyday lives when changes to taxation are made or new laws introduced. MPs should be representing their constituents, so if a government wants to change something, MPs should have first-hand knowledge of the impact. They shouldn't just be following their own agenda.

Our Tory mp has a house in the constituency but his family lived 200mmiles away in a very expensive university town. Our previous Labour MP lived in the constituency, grew up here. The Labour candidate at the GE lives accross the road from me. Her husband works at a local school.
I believe it’s generally better to have local people representing us

I agree in principal but there are other considerations.
I would rather my MP was active at Westminster than fixing people’s fences, listening to complaints about pot holes, opening school fetes etc, all of which can just as well be done by local councillors. And MPs are not replacement social workers.
It would be a pity if promising potential MPs were left with no chance of finding a seat to contest.

Also... I'm surprised the OP hasn't suggested Labour is possibly doing it a favour for the Conservatives

Elizabeth Carr-Ellis who is the candidate in question seems a very decent choice. It's certainly got Labour the headlines when they generally wouldn't generate any attention in this constituency fight.
All is seldom as it appears.

My MP was born 20 mins walk from her current surgery and fortunately is a good one. (Labour)

And - our current MP (Conservative) is another!

Unfortunately it doesn’t necessarily follow that a local MP isn’t a good constituency MP. Our previous MP (SNP) was a case in point …