ANALYSIS: Election candidates debate postal vote fraud, Palestine and Blackburn's small business economy

Whalley Range Shopping District
The Whalley Range area between Shear Brow and Earl Street hosts 101 businesses. It is the part of Blackburn that is truly booming making it the Asian shopping area in the North West of England. What are you going to do to make sure this area continues to thrive? The main concern are the parking issues.
Kate Hollern said she was pleased the area was so vibrant and the fact that people travelled across the country to shop in the area. It also brings people into the town and the centre. But there was a need for a dedicated parking area.
Gordon Lishman said the area was home to residents as well as shops and there needed to be a balance between the needs of those who live there and the businesses. You have to also consider the safety needs of residents and pedestrians.
Bob Eastwood added, “There the area brings a great vibrancy to Blackburn but there is more to be done.
“As well as parking I have received similar complaints about how untidy some streets are.”

Postal Vote Fraud
Postal vote fraud is an issue that has been highlighted by Conservative candidate Bob Eastwood as part of his campaign.
It is an issue that seems to be a common  theme  amongst  Conservative  candidates in the region who are  standing in areas where  there  is a  high percentage of Asian voters.
The panel was asked if the ‘Asian’ community had a problem with postal vote fraud.
Mr Eastwood claimed that he had been told of an individual who had ‘seen a man emptying a big bag of postal votes into a post box.' When pressed to explain if he had reported this he clarified that he was told that information in the last three months.
He also claimed to speak to a postman who had told him at this time of  year he would come across post boxes filled with postal votes.
He then stated that someone ‘in this room’ had been involved  in postal vote fraud but it was not his position to name that person. He later said he had ‘heard of this.'
Again he was asked to provide evidence and was told by an audience member to report it  to the police.
Kate Hollern said the Council has always investigated any claims of postal vote fraud and it will continue to do so and added, “I will fully support the police action against  anyone  misusing the postal vote  system.”
She responded to Mr Eastwood’s claim stating that postal votes had only been sent out on April 24th so she was unsure where such claims had come from.
Mr Lishman pointed out, “It was imperative to know what was legal and what was not. The point of legality arrives  when someone is given a  postal vote  and asked  to sign it  and  then taken away. If people are saying things are illegal and need to specify what is illegal and find evidence."
An audience member said women in the Asian community were unable to make an informed decision because they were being told who to vote for.
However, there were concerns that the issue was being used to specifically target members of the Asian community and not wider residents. And this was in fact stereotyping the Asian community.
It was also being used by some political parties to cause some people not to vote altogether. One audience member stated he encouraged members of his family to make sure they used their vote and would he now be deemed guilty for doing so?

The Party
If elected will your priority be to tow the party line or will you be prepared to challenge the party hierarchy and stand up for what you believe in? This was a question forward by A-Level students at the Tauheedul Islam Girls’ School.
Kate Hollern said, “I’m proud that we as a Labour group come to agreement on issues.  Those that know me know  that I have a  strong voice  and  if elected MP Blackburn would always make  sure Blackburn would always come first.”
Gordon Lishman brought applause from the audience when he stated, “I have been a member of my party from under a series of leaders. And if you asked any of them if I can be trusted to tow  the party line then they would laugh!
“I will vote exactly the way I want regardless of the party.”
Bob Eastwood said he was someone who wanted to stand for the people of Blackburn, “I am standing for the interests of all the people of  Blackburn.  If I was faced with an issue with the vast majority of the Blackburn residents did not agree with then I would  not  tow  the party line.”

Palestine
The panel was  asked  to  give  a  simple 'yes'  or  'no' answer  on the issue of  Israel’s  action on Gaza in 2014.  

If members of the panel were to see Israeli aggression as seen by the state  against Gaza  last  year, would they publicly condemn it. All panel members  answered clearly ‘yes’ they would.
However when pressed if they would call for a boycott of goods sourced in illegal settlements, the panel were split in their decisions.
Bob Eastwood said he would have to ‘give this some thought.'

He said, "These issues are very divisive..there has been a big emphasis in Blackburn to boycott Tesco. I spoke to an imam and a member of a religious school and also I saw how many Muslim people are employed in Tesco. I get that it's not a Muslim issue."
When pressed further, Bob said: "Do I have an issue with products from illegal settlements? Would it be possible to say unequivocally that those products are from illegal settlements? The short answer to that is I'll have to give that a great deal of thought. I'll have to think about the implications. This is the first time I have encountered this situation."
Gordon Lishman who clearly had a wide-ranging knowldge of international affairs said, "Certain sorts of boycotts can be very effective...I am not convinced that a general boycott on goods and services would bring the Israelis back to the negotiating table or good for the people of West Bank and Gaza.
“I  think we have to have to driven by what will lead to an effective and viable solution. I think a general boycott would exacerbate the decision."
Kate Hollern said,  "The truth is, profit and money talks. If people continue to buy goods from illegal settlements, we've got to make sure it hurts. It is unacceptable  to sit back and let  that happen, to watch children be bombed, to see that they are unable to access water, education and basic human rights.
“Tory MPs refused to support the motion. People who abstained clearly showed a non commitment to end suffering in Palestine.
“I’m not radical, but I can’t stand back and watch the suffering in Palestine. It is up to the government to bring an  end to the awful suffering.”

Racism accusations
What was not pleasing to see was Bob Eastwood having to defend himself from accusations of being ‘racist’. 
Mr Eastwood has a long track record of tackling racism in the town more so than many members of the Asian community themselves. Allegations of racism were preposterous to say the least.
On a similar premise Kate Hollern did clarify accusations that she mistook a resident as a taxi-driver at an earlier hustings and this was not a form of  ‘stereotyping’.
She said the individual had stated he was based at the train station and she thought therefore he may be a hackney cab driver. And this was not due to his heritage in any way.

Foodbanks
There has been a growth in those using foodbanks and an audience member was keen for the panel to explain this.

Kate Hollern said, "7500 people in Blackburn use food banks. I know that people in Blackburn who go to food banks are referred by a doctor or social services or the benefits agency. People don't turn up there because it's a life choice. They go there when they're absolutely desperate."

Gordon Lishman said,  "The challenge that George Osborne has absolutely refused to answer is which bit of the benefits budget are you going to cut. As our economy significantly improves, that takes people out of benefit. "

Bob said, "Foodbanks existed in Gordon Brown's time. They did. You can jeer, you can sneer, you can do what you like.
"Using the number of people that go to foodbanks to measure poverty doesn't give you the full story.
"Our economy is deemed to be the fastest growing economy in the developed world. Like that or not, it's your choice."

Some areas get more investment than others?
When referring to campaigning in non-Asian areas at an earlier hustings it had been suggested by Bob Eastwood that some areas were getting more investment than others. He referred to the issue as one which groups such the English Defence League (EDL) are keen to use.
We asked the panel to clarify if some areas were actually getting more investment than others.
Mr Lishman, "This is part of the human condition. Most people go through life thinking other people are doing better than they are. The question is whether this is true. If it is not true, you have an obligation to find out if it is true. You don't feed the prejudice.
Kate Hollern said, "I have been councillor for 20 years. I can tell you that any resources in Blackburn are based on needs."
Bob Eastwood, "The Asian community is very diverse in its own right. All people feel that other communities get a better deal than them. Some parts of the Asian community feel that other parts get a better deal than them.
"The right question to ask is, do Blackburn's community feel there is a disproportionate application of resources across the town. My answer to that is, yes."