THE final Oxfordshire candidates for next month's General Election have now been decided.

In the first of six features covering each of the county's constituencies, we look at the hopefuls standing for election in Oxford East.

The candidates are: Anneliese Dodds (Labour), Louise Staite (Conservative), Alistair Fernie (Liberal Democrats), Roger Carter (Brexit Party), David Williams (Green Party), and independents David Henwood, Chaka Artwell, and Phil Taylor.

The Labour Party

Oxford Mail:

Anneliese Dodds.

Anneliese Dodds was Oxford East’s Labour MP, until parliament dissolved ahead of the election.

She won the seat in the 2017 general election.

She lives on Rose Hill with her partner Ed and two children.

Anneliese represented Oxford from 2014 to 2017 as an MEP.

Before that, she worked for many years as an academic.

In the past she has campaigned for fair funding for schools, an end to tuition fees and a National Education Service.

The Conservative Party

Oxford Mail:

Louise Staite.

Louise Staite, the Conservative candidate for the constituency, is a former student of Oxford Brookes University who now works in Business and Finance in London.

She is also a councillor on Amersham Town Council. She is married and has two young sons.

Her priorities for Oxford include putting more police on the streets of Oxford to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour; improving education with greater pupil funding; investing in the NHS; supporting local businesses; and backing the Prime Minister’s Brexit deal.

Speaking after her selection Louise Staite said “I am delighted to have been given this opportunity. I love Oxford having studied here at Oxford Brookes and am delighted to be here campaigning to be your next MP.”

Liberal Democrats

Oxford Mail:

Alistair Fernie

Alistair Fernie, Lib Dem candidate, has worked for the Department for International Development for 18 years and has run aid British programmes in Africa, Asia and the Middle East.

He has also represented the UK as a senior diplomat in development, human rights and climate change.

At the time of his selection in September, he said he would campaign to address the housing crisis, put funding of the NHS and social care ‘on a sustainable footing’, and make more opportunities in education and work available to all young people.

As a Lib Dem he also stands as a Remain in the EU candidate.

The Brexit Party

Oxford Mail:

Roger Carter

Standing for the Brexit Party is Roger Carter.

Mr Carter’s career has seen him running his own businesses in the UK and for a few years in the USA.

These include the Automotive Industry, IT, Import and Export, Farming, Property Development, Distribution, and Environmental Services.

Currently he is a director of a property company and has known Oxford well for many years through business interests.

He has been an independent Berkshire county councillor, and chairman of the Berkshire and South Buckinghamshire Enterprise Agency.

He is also a campaigner on environmental issues.

Mr Carter said: “17.4 million people voted to leave the EU but, after three years of broken promises from Remainer MPs trying to stop us leaving, enough is enough.”

READ MORE about candidates in the general election from across Oxfordshire here:

The Green Party

Oxford Mail:

David Williams

Green candidate David Williams is former Green group leader on Oxfordshire County Council.

He is standing by his party’s commitment to set aside £100bn a year to deal with climate change and create employment through a Green New Deal.

Mr Williams said: “Cutting emissions from traffic will help deal with Oxford’s perennial air pollution crisis and the ill-health and deaths it creates.”

He added that only the Greens could create a sustainable future for the UK.

Independent: David Henwood

Oxford Mail:

David Henwood

David Henwood is currently an independent Oxford City Councillor for Cowley, living in Littlemore.

Mr Henwood said the areas ‘play such an important economic role’ for Oxford due to the Mini plant.

The councillor began his career in engineering with an apprenticeship at the body plant and said he feels strongly about protecting its workers.

He added: “Littlemore the village in which I live remains an area of high deprivation, I will continue to fight for better investment in Littlemore, and retain the much needed investment in the Littlemore Science park.”

He said as he believes he would be able to work for the ‘better good of the community’ as an independent MP.

Independent: Chaka Artwell

Oxford Mail:

Chaka Artwell

Chaka Artwell, also an independent candidate has stood for election on Oxford City Council in the past.

Mr Artwell has written a manifesto describing his views as an independent candidate.

They include a trade-only relationship with the EU, not teaching sexual information in schools, and a move to stop ‘criminalising the homeless with public space protection orders.’

The manifesto also includes repealing the 2010 equalities act.

Independents: Phil Taylor

The third independent candidate is Phil Taylor, who according to his website, is a 35-year-old IT professional.

He plans to have a direct democracy app to allow his constituents to get in touch with him and influence his political decision making.

Mr Taylor is concerned and excited about the tech revolution currently taking place in the UK.