Cheltenham most searched for constituency on hustings.com
Televised leaders’ debates have added a new dimension to the Election 2010 but local politics in Cheltenham are still firmly on the agenda with the town the most searched for constituencies on leading candidate website hustings.com.
The town provided the most viewed constituency in the last seven days (April 13-20) as local issues such as the future of countryside in Gloucestershire and affordable new homes in Cheltenham dominate the election locally.
Website founder James Evans said it is these kind of issues that hustings.com was designed to highlight on the website which is politically neutral and allows a free platform for all candidates.
“It’s great that we are successfully putting the spotlight back onto the local agenda to highlight the important role our local candidates have to play,’’ said James.
While Cheltenham tops the most searched for list the top five also includes Barking, Bury North, Bristol North and Buckingham.
Individuals from all parties have been under scrutiny with the most searched for candidates list led by Labour’s Bassan Mahfouz, former GMTV presenter Gloria de Piero standing for Labour in Ashfield and tv personality and Independent Luton South candidate Esther Rantzen.
“What’s great about our top 10 list is the sheer range of constituencies, individuals and parties being researched – it’s not just the big cities where people want to get to know their candidates it’s throughout the UK and involving candidates from every party,’’ said James.
Hustings.com brings all of your local candidates together in one place, listed by constituency, and also gives voters the chance to quiz their candidates directly – it’s a genuine two-way street, unlike most of the political blogs, websites and messages on Twitter which are mostly about the candidates talking to us, not the other way round.
Log onto hustings.com to get to know your local candidates.
Top 10 most viewed constituencies April 13-20 2010 on hustings.com
1 Cheltenham
2 Barking
3 Bury North
4 Bristol North
5 Buckingham
6 Brighton Pavilion
7 Hackney South and Shoreditch
8 Ashfield
9 York Outer
10 Oxford East
Top 10 most viewed candidates April 13-20 2010 on hustings.com
1 Bassam Mahfouz Labour Ealing Central and Acton
2 Gloria de Piero Labour Ashfield
3 Esther Rantzen Independent Luton South
4 Sam Akaki Independent Ealing Central and Acton
5 John Denham Labour Southampton Itchen
6 Layla Moran Libdem Battersea
7 Graeme Lambert Pirate Party Bury North
8 Greg Hands Conservative Chelsea and Fulham
9 Charlotte Leslie Conservative Bristol North West
10 Martin Horwood Libdem Cheltenham