Hayfield General Election Hustings, Wednesday 24th May, 8.00p.m., The Royal Hotel

We're delighted to be able to confirm that Sustainable Hayfield will, again, be hosting a General Election hustings in Hayfield a week on Wednesday at The Royal Hotel in the village, starting at 8.00p.m.

The timing of this election has been tight, and the candidates have only just been confirmed. There are just three this time around - Conservative (Andrew Bingham), Labour (Ruth George) and Liberal Democrat (Charles Lawley). Each has been invited to our hustings and, to date, we're delighted to report that two of the candidates have already confirmed their attendance. We very much hope we'll be able have all three candidates join us.

All General Elections are important, but this one comes at a particularly important time for our economy, environment and society. We very much hope you'll be able to join us to hear the candidates' views on the challenges facing us all, their priorities and practical proposals. And we're inviting you to consider what questions you'd like to see them answer! Having just the three candidates this time should mean that we'll be able to consider more questions, which need to be addressed to all three candidates and should be brief and pointed.

If you're going to be present and have a priority question to ask, please send it to me, Laurie James, by next Monday, 22nd May. We'll consider those received and try to ensure that a range of topics are covered. Where we receive very similar questions, we'll obviously choose just one among them, and invite the author of the question to ask it directly on the night. And we hope to have space and time to take more questions on the evening itself. So, if Brexit, education, environment, health, housing, skills and training, tax, trade, transport, welfare or any other area is your particular interest or concern, do please consider framing a clear, accessible, question and get in contact.

We hope very much we'll see you at the 'Hayfield hustings'! Young people are especially welcome. It's a really good opportunity to get the measure of those asking us to entrust them with our votes, or our future support.

UPDATE: We thought we should let you know that Sustainable Hayfield learned from Andrew Bingham, the Conservative candidate, late yesterday, that he has no space in his diary to attend a Hayfield hustings. In fairness to voters, and the other candidates, we have decided to proceed with the hustings, which will now give people expanded scope to hear from, and quiz, the Labour and Liberal Democrat candidates, Ruth George and Charles Lawley. We would, of course, be delighted if Mr Bingham's diary were able to be freed up, but understand if this this cannot be so.

We've been very grateful for those questions already submitted to us, and look forward to receiving more. As a result of Mr Bingham's notification, the format of the hustings will obviously change a little but will now perhaps enable more detailed enquiry of party policies being put before us. It should be a good evening and we look forward to welcoming you there.