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| Eastleigh Tory candidate Maria Hutchings: 'I am not being hidden' | Eastleigh Tory candidate Maria Hutchings: 'I am not being hidden' |
| (7 months later) | |
| The Conservative candidate in the Eastleigh byelection has denied she dodged a national radio hustings because party minders regard her as a "loose cannon". | The Conservative candidate in the Eastleigh byelection has denied she dodged a national radio hustings because party minders regard her as a "loose cannon". |
| Maria Hutchings' rivals claim she is being hidden away because she has attracted headlines for outspoken and off-message views on issues including the EU, state education and gay marriage. | Maria Hutchings' rivals claim she is being hidden away because she has attracted headlines for outspoken and off-message views on issues including the EU, state education and gay marriage. |
| The prime minister, David Cameron, was drawn into the row during a visit to Eastleigh on Thursday when he accused the BBC of acting "badly and stupidly" over the debate. | The prime minister, David Cameron, was drawn into the row during a visit to Eastleigh on Thursday when he accused the BBC of acting "badly and stupidly" over the debate. |
| Hutchings did appear on Friday morning with candidates from the other three main parties at a hustings organised by the local BBC radio station, Solent. | Hutchings did appear on Friday morning with candidates from the other three main parties at a hustings organised by the local BBC radio station, Solent. |
| Asked if she was a loose cannon, she said: "Call me what you like. The people on the doorsteps all across Eastleigh who I've spoken to for five years say we want someone who gives us an answer when we ask a question. That's what they'll get. I'm straight-talking, I'll tell you the truth." | Asked if she was a loose cannon, she said: "Call me what you like. The people on the doorsteps all across Eastleigh who I've spoken to for five years say we want someone who gives us an answer when we ask a question. That's what they'll get. I'm straight-talking, I'll tell you the truth." |
| She insisted she had not been at the Radio 5 Live hustings because she had been meeting Cameron at a hi-tech cable company in the town. | She insisted she had not been at the Radio 5 Live hustings because she had been meeting Cameron at a hi-tech cable company in the town. |
| "I didn't turn up to the 5 Live hustings because I had the huge privilege of having the prime minister in Eastleigh. I might have lots of energy but I can't be in two places at one time." | "I didn't turn up to the 5 Live hustings because I had the huge privilege of having the prime minister in Eastleigh. I might have lots of energy but I can't be in two places at one time." |
| Hutchings tried to focus the debate on the Lib Dem-controlled borough council's plans to build thousands of homes on green sites in the Hampshire constituency – an issue that is becoming a key one in the campaign for Chris Huhne's former seat. | Hutchings tried to focus the debate on the Lib Dem-controlled borough council's plans to build thousands of homes on green sites in the Hampshire constituency – an issue that is becoming a key one in the campaign for Chris Huhne's former seat. |
| She also called for a look into how the coalition's controversial "bedroom tax" will affect people with disabilities and criticised the Lib Dems for "not supporting" the government's attempts to introduce tighter controls on immigration. | She also called for a look into how the coalition's controversial "bedroom tax" will affect people with disabilities and criticised the Lib Dems for "not supporting" the government's attempts to introduce tighter controls on immigration. |
| The Lib Dem candidate, Mike Thornton, defended the development plans, saying new homes were desperately needed and said that without the sort of formal plan the Lib Dems had put together, there would be "ad-hoc" development across the country. | The Lib Dem candidate, Mike Thornton, defended the development plans, saying new homes were desperately needed and said that without the sort of formal plan the Lib Dems had put together, there would be "ad-hoc" development across the country. |
| He said he backed three tests on would-be immigrants – that they should speak English, have a job and pay taxes, and not put a strain on local services. There was rare agreement from the Labour candidate John O'Farrell and Ukip's Diane James that both the coalition partners were tending to concentrate on local authority issues rather than national ones. O'Farrell, the satirist and author, said the Tories and Lib Dems were trying to avoid talking about the coalition government's record. | He said he backed three tests on would-be immigrants – that they should speak English, have a job and pay taxes, and not put a strain on local services. There was rare agreement from the Labour candidate John O'Farrell and Ukip's Diane James that both the coalition partners were tending to concentrate on local authority issues rather than national ones. O'Farrell, the satirist and author, said the Tories and Lib Dems were trying to avoid talking about the coalition government's record. |
| A moment of jollity came when, as part of a question about British manufacturing, a member of the public asked who made each of the candidates' clothes. Hutchings said she dressed top to toe – including shoes – in Marks & Spencer. James said she had boycotted M&S because it made clothes abroad. O'Farrell joked that he was naked. (Thornton was not asked.) | A moment of jollity came when, as part of a question about British manufacturing, a member of the public asked who made each of the candidates' clothes. Hutchings said she dressed top to toe – including shoes – in Marks & Spencer. James said she had boycotted M&S because it made clothes abroad. O'Farrell joked that he was naked. (Thornton was not asked.) |
| Hutchings' appearance at the local radio hustings should take the sting out of claims she is being hidden away. However, national newspaper journalists were not allowed to speak to her on Thursday. | Hutchings' appearance at the local radio hustings should take the sting out of claims she is being hidden away. However, national newspaper journalists were not allowed to speak to her on Thursday. |
| Cameron had been in Eastleigh for one of his Cameron Direct sessions. In local television interviews he said he had criticised the BBC over the hustings row. "I think the BBC has behaved badly and stupidly about this from everything I've heard. My understanding is that we were discussing for ages about the timing of the hustings and the fact that Maria wanted to be with me for this meeting." | Cameron had been in Eastleigh for one of his Cameron Direct sessions. In local television interviews he said he had criticised the BBC over the hustings row. "I think the BBC has behaved badly and stupidly about this from everything I've heard. My understanding is that we were discussing for ages about the timing of the hustings and the fact that Maria wanted to be with me for this meeting." |
| He added: "I do think this is a totally got-up thing by the BBC. You're not the most important thing in this byelection. The candidates are." | He added: "I do think this is a totally got-up thing by the BBC. You're not the most important thing in this byelection. The candidates are." |
| Cameron attracted some criticism on Twitter later by people who pointed out that, actually, the voters were the most important. | Cameron attracted some criticism on Twitter later by people who pointed out that, actually, the voters were the most important. |
| The BBC seemed to contradict Cameron's account of long-running discussions, saying it had only been told on Wednesday that Hutchings could not be get there. | The BBC seemed to contradict Cameron's account of long-running discussions, saying it had only been told on Wednesday that Hutchings could not be get there. |
| The BBC said: "This was too late for us to rearrange the broadcast, as the venue, the audience and the other candidates had all been confirmed." | The BBC said: "This was too late for us to rearrange the broadcast, as the venue, the audience and the other candidates had all been confirmed." |
| Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats received a boost from a pair of byelection victories. Lib Dem candidate Andreas Yiasimi won the district council seat in Cromer with 558 votes – a 22% swing from the Tories, who were pushed into last place by Labour and Ukip. | Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats received a boost from a pair of byelection victories. Lib Dem candidate Andreas Yiasimi won the district council seat in Cromer with 558 votes – a 22% swing from the Tories, who were pushed into last place by Labour and Ukip. |
| The seat was up for grabs following the death of Conservative Keith Johnson, who is believed to have shot his wife before turning the gun on himself last year. | The seat was up for grabs following the death of Conservative Keith Johnson, who is believed to have shot his wife before turning the gun on himself last year. |
| Lib Dem Graham Pooley also triumphed at Chelmsford City in Essex, winning a seat that had been held by an independent. | Lib Dem Graham Pooley also triumphed at Chelmsford City in Essex, winning a seat that had been held by an independent. |
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