candidate 80% of the vote went to the labour candidate. you might be questioning why that candidate. you might be questioning why that is candidate. you might be questioning why that is an issue in birmingham. it is why that is an issue in birmingham. it isa why that is an issue in birmingham. it isa very why that is an issue in birmingham. it is a very diverse city, particularly in ladywood. there is a very large particularly in ladywood. there is a very large muslim population. why is that important? there was a very big clue that important? there was a very big due at that important? there was a very big due at the that important? there was a very big clue at the local elections we recently clue at the local elections we recently saw, particularly the west midlands recently saw, particularly the west midlands elections in birmingham. there midlands elections in birmingham. there was midlands elections in birmingham. there was an independent candidate, he stood
independent treasury officials have costed labour s policies and they amount to a £2000 tax rights for working family. it looks like now the chief treasury civil servant actually wrote to labour at two days ago saying the conservative assessment of their tax plan should not be presented as having been produced by the civil service. the debate sought the labour leader sir keir starmer challenged over hospital waiting lists among other things. with a rant out of the highlights from that debate, this is our political correspondent ian watson. the first debate of the campaign was a head to head clash between the prime minister and the man who wanted to replace him. if you re still wondering about the key messages they want to hammer home at this election, wonder no longer. this election is all about a choice more of the chaos and division we ve seen for the last 14 years, or turning the page and rebuilding with labour. no one knows what labour would actually do. but you know what i wou
reports. the first debate of the campaign was a head to head clash between the prime minister and the man who wanted to replace him. if you re still wondering about the key messages they want to hammer home at this election, wonder no longer. this election is all about a choice more of the chaos and division we ve seen for the last 14 years, or turning the page and rebuilding with labour.
there is another system which means every member between the opposition and the ruling party can be paid up so if someone is not available, a member of the opposition would not vote, but the leader of the welsh conservatives have made it clear they will not be appearing in this circumstance. as you mentioned, the vote is not binding, but during a general election campaign, this is another huge dent to the confidence in the first minister and it is not a great look during this time. thank ou. within the wider general election, it s the battleground seats where the fiercest campaigning is taking place. we re focussing on two of those constituencies today. in somerset, we are looking at a battleground between the conservative party and the liberal democrats in taunton and wellington. and in birmingham, we will be discussing the key issues at play in the central constituency of birmingham ladywood. joining me now, from taunton, is bbc radio somerset s ruth bradley. and from the mailbox, in
reporter, simon gilbert. thank you forjoining us. let me ask you, what is it that makes this constituency so on a knife edge? well, welcome to somerset and specifically the taunton and wellington constituency. i want you to imagine you are a voter in taunton and wellington and some of those knife edge issues that are at play, as you said. perhaps you work in the public sector, as lots of people here do. you might work for the local council or the uk hydrographic office, part of the ministry of defence, or perhaps you work in the nhs, and those are going to inform the biggest issues for you as you go to vote in this election. the nhs is bound to be one for the electorate here. we have got the biggest hospital in taunton, the biggest hospital in taunton, the biggest hospital in somerset. that