Amnesty International and Transition Monmouth will hold a Senedd Election Hustings at Monmouth Priory on Friday 24th April, 7.15pm, to allow members of the public to meet and question the candidates from the major parties on important issues such as the environment and human rights.

All candidates from the main parties have been invited to speak and answer questions in front of an audience. Members of the public are invited to come and hear the views of their candidates to help in their decision making prior to the Senedd election on 7th May.

The meeting will be chaired by Hugo Perks, who has been involved in the third sector for over 70 years and in retirement has chaired a number of charities including Citizens Advice Cymru and Adoption UK. He is politically active but is currently not a member of any political party and will remain impartial during the evening to facilitate discussion from the candidates. Candidates who have so far agreed to attend the hustings are Ian Chandler (Green Party), Matthew Jones (Plaid Cymru) and Kevin Wilkins (Liberal Democrats), who are all top of their party lists, as well as Anthony Hunt (Labour, and Leader of Torfaen Council).

Those aged 16 and over will be eligible to vote in the election for the Senedd which is responsible for many areas that affect day to day life including health, fire and rescue services, education, the environment, food, agriculture and sports. Currently there are five political parties in the Senedd (Welsh Conservatives, Welsh Labour, Welsh Liberal Democrats, Plaid Cymru and Reform UK). Laws that have been passed by the Senedd include free bus passes for the over 60s, the 20mph speed limit and free prescriptions.

Transition Monmouth is part of an international effort to tackle the problems of climate change. This is not the first time Transition Monmouth have organised an election hustings, although this will be the first held in collaboration with human rights charity, Amnesty International.

Entrance to the hustings is free of charge and refreshments will be available to purchase on the night.

For further information about Transition Monmouth or Amnesty International: https://transitionmonmouth.wordpress.com https://www.amnesty.org.uk

Full list of candidates for Sir Fynwy Torfaen

Welsh Conservatives: Peter Fox, Richard John, Lisa Dymock, Nathan Edmunds, Rachel Buckler, Chase Blount

Green Party: Ian Chandler, Emily Williams, Charlie Aldous, Lauren Sellers, Darren Share, Angus Ilmari Paget

Gwlad – Wales Can Be Better: Brad Williams

Heritage Party: Emma Meredith

Open Party: Joseph John Nicholson, David Carl Atkins

Plaid Cymru – The Party of Wales: Matthew Jones, Donna Cushing, Jayne Louise Israel, David Johnson, Gwen Loti Glyn, Huw David Evans

Reform UK: Laura Anne Jones, Stephen John Senior, Bob Blacker, David John Rowlands, Mark Morgan Urrutia, Gerard Majella Hancock

Welsh Labour: Lynne Neagle, Anthony Hunt, Laura Elizabeth Wright, Catrin Maby, Ben Callard, Nick Byrne, Su McConnel

Welsh Liberal Democrats: Kevin Wilkins, Brendan Carl Jeff Roberts, Vicky Hepburn-John, Anthea Madeline Dewhurst, Martin Sutherland, Iwan Elliot Thomas

Details of individual candidates: LEWIS, Owen Independent. POOL, Welsh Annibynnol / Independent