On Wednesday, May 22, the Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak called a general election.
This will be held on July 4, and the country will know who will be the next Prime Minister in the early hours of July 5.
The announcement was a “surprise” so the scramble is on for the political parties to select their candidates.
And if they are small parties (or independents) there is the added pressure of finding the funding to run a campaign.
Here’s what we know so far about the candidates that have been announced for the seven Bedfordshire constituencies:
Bedford
Mohammad Yasin – Labour
Mohammad Yasin will be standing again as Labour’s candidate having been the Member of Parliament for Bedford and Kempston since 2017. He won by 0.3 percentage points in 2019.
Henry Vann – Lib Dem
Henry Vann is a local teacher and has been a councillor for Bedford’s De Parys Ward since 2011. He is group leader of Bedford Borough Liberal Democrats.
Maggie Moriondo – Reform UK
On X (formerly Twitter) Maggie Moriondo posted in December: “The next election will be an immigration one. We cannot keep repeating the mistakes of the past 13 years and expect our country to survive and succeed.”
Pinder Chauhan – Conservative
Pinder Chauhan is a councilllor for West Northamptonshire Council and has said she wants to “put Bedford on the map” and ensure “its voice and views are heard in parliament”.
Ben Foley – Green
Ben Foley has been a Green councillor in Bedford since 2019 (currently the Greyfriars Ward) and is convenor of the group of Green councillors on Bedford Borough Council.
Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard
Emma Holland-Lindsay – Lib Dem
Emma Holland-Lindsay contested last year’s Mid Bedfordshire by-election is now standing in the seat where she is a local councillor.
Andrew Selous – Conservative
Andrew Selous is the current MP for South West Bedfordshire, which following baoundary changes is now Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard. He received 60.4 per cent of the votes at the last election in 2019.
Harry Palmer – Reform UK
On the Reform UK website Harry Palmer said: “Only Reform will stand up for British values and common-sense policies to save Britain.”
Hitchin
Alistair Strathern – Labour
Allstair Strathern became the MP for Mid Bedfordshire in 2023. However, due to boundary changes his home is now in the new Hitchin constistuancy. So he’s seeking election here to remain a “local” MP.
Sid Cordle – Christian Peoples Alliance (CPA)
Sid Cordle has been the leader of the CPA since 2012. He said it stands “100 per cent for Christian values which come from Jesus’ teaching”.
Chris Lucas – Lib Dem
Chris Lucas is a North Herts Council ward councillor (Priory Ward). He believes that residents “have a once in a generation chance” to vote for a Liberal voice.
Bim Afolami – Conservative
Bim Afolami has been the MP for Hitchin and Harpenden since 2017 general election and has been the Economic Secretary to the Treasury since 2023.
Charles Bunker – Reform UK
Charles Bunker was the Brexit Party’s candidate for Bedford in the 2019 General Election. He was the founding chairman of the Hitchin and Harpenden Conservative Association.
Will Lavin – Green
Will Lavin is a founding member of the Green Party, and has held roles on its National Executive. He is “passionate” about securing a “better future” by addressing climate change, air quality and house insulation.
Luton North
Sarah Owen – Labour
Sarah Owen has been the MP for Luton North since 2019 (55.2 per cent of the vote).
James Fletcher – Reform UK
James Fletcher said he believes his party is the “only common-sense option in the room” and is the “only party listening to the people”.
Luton South and South Bedfordshire
Rachel Hopkins – Labour
Rachel Hopkins has been the MP for Luton South since 2019 (51.8 per cent of the vote) and was a shadow minister from 2021 to 2023. Due to boundary changes, Luton South is now Luton South and South Bedfordshire.
Norman Maclean – Reform UK
Norman Maclean said he will be fighting for on the resaidsnts’ behalf to cancel the expansion of flights from Luton Airport.
Dominic Griffiths – Lib Dem
Dominic Griffiths is a North Herts Council ward councillor (Graveley, St Ippolyts & Wymondley).
Mid Bedfordshire
Maahwish Mirza – Labour
Maahwish Mirza was born and raised up in Luton and has been a
councillor in the town. She has said she will be championing the greenbelt, and fighting for public services and local infrastructure.
Dave Holland – Reform UK
Dave Holland stood as a Reform UK canddiate in last year’s Mid Beds by-election. He said the role of Government to “create the opportunities that individuals need to thrive and succeed”.
Blake Stephenson – Conservative
Blake Stephenson has been a Central Bedfordshire councillor since 2023, sits on the Bedfordshire Police and Crime Panel, and serves on the Shillington Parish Council.
Cade Sibley – Green
Cade Sibley stood as a Green in last year’s by-election when he said it’s “more important” to give people the option to vote for someone who will represent them and that he couldn’t just “stand aside”.
Stuart Roberts – Lib Dem
Stuart Roberts is a former Deputy President of the NFU and a former CDonservative councillor,.
North Bedfordshire
Uday Nagaraju – Labour
Uday Nagaraju said he has “devoted” his life to public service and pledge to be “fully available as a committed MP”.
Joanna Szaub-Newton – Lib Dem
Joanna Szaub-Newton is a parish and a scientist specialising in environmental and health diagnostics.
Richard Fuller – Conservative
Richard Fuller has been the MP for North East Bedfordshire since 2019 (59.1 per cent of the vote).
This is a developing story and more information will be added as it becomes available.
The listed candidates are subject to change until the last day to register as a candidate (June 7).
