THREE Parliamentary hopefuls bidding for York Outer constituency went head-to-head in a battle to win the votes of students this week.

Conservative MP Julian Sturdy debated with Labour rival and City of York councillor Joe Riches, and Liberal Democrat candidate James Blanchard.

York Union staged a hustings at the University of York’s Central Hall on Thursday night – nine weeks before the polls open.

The MP opened with a seven-minute speech heavily focused on his party’s record on the economy, with dire warnings that a move away from its “long- term economic plan” could threaten the chances of newly-graduated students finding work.

“In the last year, more jobs have been created in Yorkshire than the whole of France,” he added.

York Press:

From left: Julian Sturdy, Joe Riches and James Blanchard

On the day the national news was dominated by David Cameron’s reluctance over the TV debates, Cllr Riches opened his speech by saying: “I am pleased to see there’s one Tory MP not afraid of debating with his opponents.”

He spoke of the rise of foodbanks and thousands living in fear of benefits sanctions brought in by the Coalition Government, and clashed with Mr Sturdy over the MP’s record on opposing housing plans and gipsy and traveller sites in the greenbelt. Cllr Riches accused the MP of “stirring up opposition” to much-needed homes, something the MP rejected, saying he was doing his duty by listening to constituents and pushing for gipsy and travellers’ sites in accessible urban locations rather than rural areas.

Mr Blanchard defended his party’s record in government and his own commitment to liberal philosophies, and said: “I don’t accept that the Liberal Democrats let students down over tuition fees. At the end of the day we didn’t win the election; we came third.”

The other parties wanted to accept in full the Brown report at the time, with its recommendation of no cap on fees, he added, while Labour’s new tuition fee policies are nothing more the “headline grabbing”.

Green candidate Ginnie Shaw, excluded from the debate along with Ukip candidate Paul Abbott, spoke from the floor to question the three candidates on social housing policy.

The union’s president, Callum Elliot, said they had chosen to invite the three main parties which together took 96 per cent of the votes in 2010, to make sure the event saw meaningful debate between the candidates.

Mr Sturdy won the newly-created seat of York Outer in 2010 with a majority of 3,700 over his nearest rival, the Liberal Democrat Madeleine Kirk.