Over the last few decades, the race for the Lincoln seat has been close. In this General Election, Labour candidate Lucy Rigby is the bookies favourite, but not with any huge margin.
Speaking after the Lincoln debate on Monday, she said incumbent MP Karl McCartney should have been present to defend his record in Westminster.
In her own platform, she focuses on five key pledges: investment, protection of the NHS, better transport, help for working families, and a fairer economy. She criticises the government for introducing the ‘bedroom tax’ and back door privatisation of the NHS.
She said: “One of the issues most people want to discuss with me is the NHS. It is a national issue, but also very specific to Lincoln because it is people’s local health service here they are bothered about.
“They don’t get GP appointments when they want them, they speak of a crisis at the County Hospital, not enough beds, nurses or doctors. We need real action on these issues, I want more medical staff and investment for our health service.”
On local politics she says Lincolnites have received a “bad deal” on transport and investment. “We need to get the Eastern Bypass built as soon as possible, as well as a permanent park and ride scheme for Lincoln.
“It is essential that we get more Lincoln to London trains, as well as faster and better connection to neighbouring cities.”
As well as improved transport, she wants to stop cuts to the Lincolnshire Police and give small businesses in Lincoln a rates freeze.
In Monday’s debate, Lucy put emphasis on Labour’s pledge to increase the number of free childcare for three- and four-year-old kids.
“The best way to lower the welfare bill is to get people into work. With more free childcare we make it easier for parents, especially mothers, to get back into work and ease the pressure on household economies.
“I also want to ban zero-hour contracts and raise the minimum wage to £8.”
Although the Tories and Labour are neck-and-neck nationally, Lucy Rigby is confident she will edge ahead of Karl McCartney in Lincoln.
“If elected I will be a competent and good MP for Lincoln, standing up for our city every day of the next parliament. I have campaigned very hard on these issues in the last weeks and months, and the people of Lincoln expect me to work twice as hard if I was there MP.”