March 9, 2015 5.55 pm This story is over 108 months old

Age UK election debate in Lincoln cancelled due to lack of interest

Debate scrapped: An Age UK election hustings event due to take place on March 10 has been cancelled — but the main media debate is going ahead as planned.

An election hustings event due to take place on March 10 has been cancelled.

Parliamentary candidates Karl McCartney (Conservatives), Lucy Rigby (Labour) and Ross Pepper (Liberal Democrats) were set to attend the debate in the Eliot Room at Bishop Grosseteste University’s campus on Longdales Road.

UKIP’s candidate, Nick Smith, was unavailable and was to be represented by Tony Wells.

The organisers of the event, Age UK, had arranged the debate so that those aged over 50 could question the candidates on issues primarily affecting older people.

However, the debate has been cancelled at short notice as only 10 people signed up to attend the event.

The event was to be conducted by Barry Earnshaw, Non-Executive Director at LACE Housing and Chair of Lincolnshire Care Association.

The Lincoln Debate, the main debate in the city organised by The Lincolnite, Lincolnshire Echo and BBC Radio Lincolnshire is set to take place on May 4.

All the candidates announced so far will be attending — except MP Karl McCartney, who requested a change of date, venue and presenter. The organisers were unable to meet his demands and will be going ahead with the debate as planned.

You can sign up here to register your interest in attending The Lincoln Debate on May 4, which will also be broadcast live on radio, and also on video on The Lincolnite and Lincolnshire Echo websites.