The December 12 general election is approaching fast.

Make sure to register to vote if you have not already.

Here are you parliamentary candidates for Ilford North.

Labour – West Streeting

Epping Forest Guardian:

As Ilford North’s member of parliament since 2015, I’ve fought for our local community every step of the way. I’ve been one of parliament’s most active MPs, campaigning on the issues that really matter. I’m standing on my record of standing up for Ilford North.

I’m proud to have played a leading role in the successful campaign to save King George A&E and to have supported the successful bid to rebuild Whipps Cross Hospital. I’ve helped thousands of local residents with individual problems.

We’ve seen the impact of nearly ten years of Conservative government on our community: fewer police on our streets, every school facing financial pressures, NHS waiting times up, homelessness on our streets and many people unable to afford somewhere decent to live. We can’t go on like this.

Brexit is sucking the life out of so many other issues that matter to our country. I have never sought to ignore the result of the last referendum and as a leading supporter of the People’s Vote campaign I have been consistent and principled in arguing that the Brexit deal must go back to the people. I think Brexit is an historic mistake that will harm our economy, damage our security and undermine our place in the world. I would vote to remain again.

I’ve shown that I’m an independent-minded MP who always puts the best interests of our community and our country first. I’m prepared to stand up to my leadership when they get things wrong and prepared to work with other parties to get things right.

To tackle the gross inequality in our society, to get the investment we need to rebuild our public services and to make sure that we’re tackling big issues like the climate emergency, I hope you’ll re-elect me on December 12.

Conservative – Howard Berlin

Epping Forest Guardian:

I have lived in Barkingside for over 30 years with his wife Vivienne. As a father of two, I am a great believer in the power of sport to improve young lives, build community and help keep people of all ages fit and healthy.

Ilford North residents deserve an MP who will put them first, not their own career. I am that candidate. I care deeply about the area in which I live and my children grew up. I despair at the decline and apparent neglect that now blights Ilford North.

Dirty streets, unkempt gardens, pot holed roads, dead or missing trees, I have never seen my home town in such a poor state. I am determined to rescue our constituency from this rampant neglect".

Over the last two years we have seen our local MP ignore the wishes of the residents of Ilford North who voted 53 per cent to 47 per cent to leave the EU. He has followed Corbyn’s orders and voted against every deal, yet has no alternative of his own. It’s an untenable position for an untenable MP. Ilford North residents deserve better

We have had the vote, then three years of delay. Now is the time to get Brexit done. If elected I will back the Boris’s deal” he declared.

Ilford North is now a marginal seat that could decide the future of our country. I will take the fight to Corbyn, challenge his plans to destroy our economy, and plan to win, not for me but for all residents of Ilford North. I intend to bring the pride back to Ilford North.

Liberal Democrats – Mark Johnson

Epping Forest Guardian:

The upcoming general election leaves voters with two choices, to vote for parties that would see us crash out of the EU or to vote for one that would stop what would undoubtedly be a damaging step for our country.

The borough of Redbridge voted remain and it is vital that the voices of those who did so are heard. On too many occasions Jeremy Corbyn's eurosceptic past has come back to haunt what once was a progressive and internationalist party. I am standing to be the unambiguous pro-remain option for Ilford North at this general election.

I have always believed in strong public services and it is clear that those services which so many of us rely on are in desperate need of extra funding. London is facing a housing crisis and the Liberal Democrats would initiate a comprehensive house building programme if elected to government as well as overturn the Dickensian Vagrancy Act which currently makes rough sleeping illegal.

As climate change and protecting the environment increasingly find their way to the top of the political agenda, this must start with protecting UK citizens at home. A data update of the London Atmospheric Emissions Inventory earlier this year found up 2 million Londoners are living in areas with toxic air. This problem is particularly bad in areas such as Redbridge and airport expansion in and around London must be halted to stop this problem getting worse.

Bolstering our public services and ensuring the environment we live in is safe and clean should be a priority for the government. However the Tories have called this election to opportunistically try and boost Boris Johnson's disastrous Brexit deal. If you want to stop Brexit there is a fair and democratic way out. It is to vote Lib Dem in the coming general election.

Green Party – David Reynolds

Epping Forest Guardian:

"I’m standing to offer the voters in Ilford North the chance to vote for a party that will end the Tory government’s failed austerity programme, and instead implement progressive policies based on social justice, including imaginative initiatives such as moving to a 4 day working week; we will call a halt to airport expansion, while continuing to campaign against concentrated flight paths over Redbridge; and bring the excruciating Brexit saga to a close by offering a People’s Vote, with the option to remain in the EU.

But overriding all other issues, the 2019 general election must be the climate election. A year has already passed since the intergovernmental panel on climate change gave the world 12 years to implement fundamental changes in the way we live and do business, if we are to have any chance of preventing runaway climate chaos. This election is the moment that will decide whether the UK government starts truly treating climate breakdown as the existential emergency that the science tells us it is.

Only the Green Party puts the climate at the heart of everything it does, and is not afraid to tell people the extent of the challenges that need to addressed. Ours is a transformative programme which aims to move the economy away from its harmful dependence on carbon, achieving net carbon neutrality by 2030, and to invest in the infrastructure that will allow us to live within our ecological limits, while reversing social and economic inequality.

A clear majority of the public consider the climate emergency to be the most important issue we face, although you would not know this from the obsession with Brexit displayed by the traditional political parties and the press. People know that there is no time to waste, and want their government to act accordingly. Electing more Green Party MPs to parliament will ensure that this demand is met."

Brexit Party – Neil Anderson

Epping Forest Guardian:

I was brought up in Ilford North and have lived here for most of my life.

Over 53 per cent of this constituency voted in 2016 to leave the EU and it is the democratic responsibility of parliament to enact the will of the majority, here and across the country, who rightly expect them to obey this instruction. I am therefore standing for the Brexit Party in order to ensure that this happens.

Having had a varied career in many sectors including education, training, consultancy and academia, I am not a professional politician which is to my advantage considering the extent to which the established parties have shown their contempt for the public in recent years.

Not only should people’s concerns be heard nationally, but also locally; however, this is not happening in Ilford North as the decisions to build homeless accommodation on Manford Way Park and to develop Gants Hill Library and its environs show.

I want to give local people a stronger voice on these issues and would also fight to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour, improve the quality of healthcare services, increase rates of access to first-choice school places and invest in repairing our roads.

Christian Peoples Alliance – Donald Akhigbe

Epping Forest Guardian:

I’m a Christian and worship at the local Christ Embassy church where I play a very active role as a worker. I’m also involved in community events and I do salsa dancing as a way of exercising

With a master’s degree in Project Management (MSc), I work in the construction industry where I specialize in the residential sector, building homes all over London.

I believe in true religious freedom and that means parents, as the primary custodian of children, should be allowed to opt-out of any lessons that are in variance with their religious beliefs and/or moral views

When voted in, I will ensure that the religious and moral views of residents are respected and adhere to in the primary school system, also ensuring that age-appropriate lessons are taught; Children should be allowed to be children!

Knife crime is another issue bothering a lot of residents of Ilford North; while those found guilty of a crime should rightly be punished, we also believe that prevention is better than cure

Reducing reoffending rates is the simplest and probably the most effective way of reducing crime in the community. When elected, my priority would be to bring down the reoffending rates using the examples set by Christian charities like Saltbox in Stoke and the Message Trust in Manchester

Finally, we believe the family unit should be strengthened as family breakdown is estimated to cost the taxpayer about £48bn per year.

We intend doing that by providing grants to a couple when they wed, provided, they attend the required preparatory sessions. We would also provide a grant of £6000 when their first child is born backed up with the appropriate childcare training.