Candidates clash at Hackney South and Shoreditch hustings

Chorus of voices: the panel at St Peter’s Church. Photograph: Max Eckersley

The contenders for Hackney South and Shoreditch in June’s General Election preached their cases in a busy De Beauvoir church last night.

Labour incumbent Meg Hillier faced off against Lib Dem Dave Raval, Conservative Luke Parker and the Green party’s Rebecca Johnson on contentious issues such as Brexit, school cuts, air pollution and free speech.

Also on the panel were independents Hugo Sugg and Dale Kalamazad, Angel Watt of the Christian People’s Alliance and Jonty Leff of the Workers’ Revolutionary party.

Only Russell Shaw Higgs, an independent, and the Animal Welfare party’s Vanessa Hudson did not attend.

The hustings, organised by the De Beauvoir Association, was held at St Peter’s Church on Northchurch Terrace and was ably chaired by Reverend Julia Porter.

Around 150 people turned up to suss out the names they’ll choose between on 8 June.

Full round-up to follow.