Election interviews - Paul Coyne - Independent - A different voice to the parties

He said: “What I was finding was that people wanted an independent candidate they could vote for rather than just choose between the established parties.”

He added: “I can support Brexit while putting the interests of this constituency first. We need a strong Brexit deal and a reform of the tax system to be competitive.”

Mr Coyne said Brexit negotiations had to be tempered, reserving tough talks for richer nations and new trade deals around the world.

He warned it was right to protect British ex-pats abroad but not by using EU citizens working in this country as bargaining chips.

He added: “EU citizens coming over here to work are welcome but we have to be able to accommodate them within our services and infrastructure.”

Mr Coyne called for fair funding for education and other institutions such as health and said an independent candidate would hold the government to account, but said: “You need to cut out the waste first.”

This he said included wastefully unchecked repeat prescriptions for drugs and expensive contracts signed to build new hospitals. With the distances involved in Lincolnshire, he said there was a place for specialist and local health services, with Grantham A&E vital in order to not put lives at risk.

He is currently leading a group putting together a neighbourhood plan for Sleaford’s future development. “We desperately need a southern bypass with the large developments we are facing in the future in Sleaford. I can apply pressure to get funding for it,” he said.

○ The other candidates standing are Sally Chadd (UKIP), Jim Clarke, (Labour), Caroline Johnson (Conservative), Fiona McKenna (Green) and Ross Pepper (Liberal Democrats).