VOTERS are heading to the polls today to vote for the candidate they hope will be representing The Cotswolds for the next five years.

This is the third election in four years and has been dominated by the personalities of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and prime minister Boris Johnson as they go head to head.

However, closer to home, the residents still have a difficult choice to make, in The Cotswolds there are four candidates hoping to win this beautiful constituency, where the seat has been held by Conservative Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown since its creation in 1997.

In 2017, Conservative Geoffrey Clifton-Brown held his seat, with 36,201 votes and a 25,499 majority, second was Labour’s Mark Huband with 10,702 votes, third was Liberal Democrats’ Andrew Gant with 9,748 votes and fourth was Green Party’s Sabrina Poole 1,747.

Liberal Democrats: Liz Webster

Liz Webster describes herself as an MP who really cares about their constituency, who listens to constituents’ concerns and acts on them.

Hoping to concentrate on issues such as: fighting climate change in concert with the EU, protecting the NHS, tackling inequality, affordable housing, public transport and infrastructure.

She said: “As a local farmer’s wife, I am totally aware of the threats of Brexit to British agriculture, our food security and our environment.

“As a rural constituency dependent on agriculture, Brexit will seriously damage our local economy, further undermining services already squeezed by austerity. Enough is enough.”

Conservative: Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown describes himself as a strong and effective champion for the Cotswolds with hoping to provide the new Parliament with much needed experience.

He hopes to concentrate on issues such as: school funding, building houses for renters, recruitment more frontline staff, green growth and the environment

He said: “It has been an honour to represent the Cotswolds for many years and I have produced positive results for this constituency as an experienced MP.”

“In education I have secured substantial increases in funding for schools in Gloucestershire, I have led the campaign to transform the A417, protected frontline NHS services”

Labour: Alan MacKenzie

Alan MacKenzie describes himself as an MP for all our communities working where it matters most and working to improve the lives of all residents by listening and taking action, and will earn your trust.

He hopes to concentrate on issues such as: bedroom tax, poverty, school funding, the NHS funding and staffing and the climate crisis.

He said: “I promise I will work hard for you from day one, earning your trust and rebuilding faith in politics, we no longer need to be divided.

“It’s time for a real change in the Cotswolds.

“Let’s meet that change together.”

Green Party: Sabrina Poole

Sabrina says the next ten years are the most important in our global history.

“The climate and environmental emergency is raging from the Amazon to the Arctic. Koalas are now functionally extinct.

“As a planet, we cannot go on as we are. A vote for the Green Party’s Green New Deal would transform and future-proof the UK economy, tackle the Climate Emergency in time, and simultaneously address pressing social problems. We are the only party you can trust to stand up for a People’s Vote on the final Brexit deal, now that we actually know what it contains, and proudly campaign to remain in Europe and transform the EU for the better. With your vote, you can give us even more influence in Parliament.”

You can follow all developments as they happen on The Standard website.