December 9, 2019 1.52 pm This story is over 50 months old

Tune in tonight at 7pm for The Lincoln Debate

Watch live tonight!

All seven Lincoln MP candidates will go head to head this evening in a hustings debate, which will be broadcast live by The Lincolnite and BBC Radio Lincolnshire. 

The debate, broadcast from The Lawn (Blue Room) off Union Road in front of an audience of 100 people, will begin at 7pm on Monday, December 9, three days before polls open across the city.

It will be chaired by BBC Radio Lincolnshire presenter Rod Whiting.

People will be able to watch the action live in video on The Lincolnite’s website and Facebook page, as well as on FM/DAB on BBC Radio Lincolnshire.

It will also be available to watch on demand after the event has ended.

All seven candidates standing in the December 12 general election have agreed to take part. They are:

  • Karen Lee – Labour
  • Karl McCartney – Conservative
  • Caroline Kenyon – Liberal Democrat
  • Reece Wilkes – The Brexit Party
  • Charles Shaw – Liberal Party
  • Sally Horscroft – Green Party
  • Rob Bradley – Independent

Candidates will be invited to make short opening and closing statements, while the main part of the evening will take questions from the audience, moderated by Mr Whiting.

Of the 250 people who applied to be in the audience, the final 100 were selected to represent the voting percentages of each party in the 2017 general election.

There will be 48 Labour supporters in the crowd, 45 Conservatives and five supporters of each of the other parties represented.

All were asked to state their voting intensions upon application, as well as clarity on their position on the EU (Leave or Remain).

Most of them also submitted a question.

Each candidate was invited to bring up to five supporters.

This will be the fifth collaboration between The Lincolnite and BBC Radio Lincolnshire for organising special elections simulcasts after the 2015 general election, the 2017 snap election, the Lincolnshire EU Referendum and the Police and Crime Commissioner elections.

Daniel Ionescu, Managing Editor of The Lincolnite, said: “Election debates are now a staple of modern democracy and it’s great to see that all candidates have agreed to take part both locally and nationally.

“It’s vital that people hear from all candidates their stance on the big issues of our time, from Brexit, to climate change, our health and education systems, and of course, local topics — and The Lincoln debate will be an ideal platform for that.”

Charlie Partridge, Managing Editor of BBC Radio Lincolnshire, said: “These Lincoln debates are becoming a local tradition. Lincoln is a marginal constituency and every vote counts.

“It is very important that we get a chance to see and hear all the candidates, find out their views, and question them. The Lincoln Debate will be a unique opportunity to do that.”

Keep up with the action on social media with #LincolnDebate.