Sharon Carr-Brown - Labour

What is your background?
I did a degree in Chinese and French at Durham University and then joined the BBC World Service in the Chinese section so I did manage to use my degree. From there I moved to Radio 4 working on the World at One programme. I left there when I had my second child and we moved to Bournemouth and I spent some time being a mum - we had 3 children in 3 years. Now my husband and I have a company together, he's a professional writer and I'm a proof reader. My voluntary work is perhaps even more important to me. I became a governor of Bournemouth Hospital when it became a Foundation Trust five years ago and I am also a governor of one my son's school and a trustee of a local charity.

What is your connection to the local area?
I call it my hometown. I moved here from Ringwood when I was 9 and my parents had lived here previously. I went to school here, I got my first job here, it's my town and that's why I am standing.

Have you got a favourite local space or facility?

Now we've got the dogs the beach is brilliant and Hengisbury Head is also particularly good, although it's always windy!

What's your favourite TV show?
At the moment, it's got to be "Glee". Favourite TV ever? "The West Wing" but my husband is the real aficionado on that.

Do you shop in Westbourne or know the district well?

When I first left home, I had a place on Surrey Road so I've lived in the area. The high concentration of individual shops and great cafe's mean I do still visit.

Westbourne has a high percentage of small businesses, what policies do Labour have that look after their interests?

The main thing Labour is doing at the moment is supporting the economy and trying to keep the flow of money going. My parents were small business owners and I know the effects that the general economic situation can have on small businesses.

Bournemouth and Westbourne in particular appear to be doing well with fewer empty shops than the national average. Why might Bournemouth be weathering the economic storm better than other areas and how can this be maintained?

This recession has been very deep and longer than recessions we have suffered in recent history, however the effects have not been as severe as previous recessions. Unemployment is already falling, although that may waiver, interest rates have remained low. In terms of the future we have things like Job Guarantees and apprenticeships are finally making the comeback they deserve which I massively support. I was a real academic person, but if I had to get stuck on a desert island with a banker, a historian or a carpenter, I would pick a carpenter any day.

What's your opinion on the 40mph limit on the Wessex Way?

I would love to see the evidence that doing 40mph on this stretch of road makes it safer. If that evidence is incontrovertible then I would obey 20mph, but that road was designed as a 70mph road initially. The real problem is the short slip-roads. Nobody can negotiate it properly unless you're local and know what's coming. The answer is do something with the slip-roads, sign post it differently or look at other options.

What policies do Labour have for greener local transport?
In general a lot of work is needed on the local transport infrastructure. I'm sad that Yellow Buses was sold a few years ago by the Lib Dem council. It's very difficult to bring in green policies in an area when the council don't control the buses. Now there is the national high speed rail link government need to remember us down here; we need to be able to feed into that. Labour introduced the free bus passes for OAPs, that has been hugely popular, I think we should look at introducing it for school children.

Bournemouth West has been Conservative since it's creation 60 years ago, how confident are you that this pattern will be broken?
It's fair to say my timing is not good, this is not 1997 for the Labour Party. I am a candidate that should be heard, I am the only local candidate standing from the main parties and I think that really matters. I think it strange that the Conservatives who control the council cannot find a local candidate and the Lib Dems who used to control the council cannot find a local candidate.

If you win the seat, what are the biggest change the local residents would see?

I'd really live here! I'd want to come home every night because this is where my family is. There are hundreds of people who commute from Bournemouth to London every day, there is no reason I should be any different.

The expenses issue has blighted politics for many months. Do you think this issue will go away after the election?
I really hope it does go away, not because I want anyone to escape prosecution, if it's fraud, it's fraud, but it's really hard for people like me who have been giving to the community for years, who believes in this for all the right reasons, to be looked at by people like I'm something they've stepped on in the street. I can't forgive some MP's for bringing us to that point.

Do you think a hung parliament is likely and would it be damaging to the country?
If you look at the polling in the marginal seats, there's no strong clear answer. Whether it would be damaging is hard to know, I haven't lived through a hung parliament or a coalition of any sort. You can look at Italy and think "Oh no" or countries like Germany and think it's made no difference to them. I would prefer and I am working for a Labour victory.

If Labour win, if Gordon safe as Prime Minister for another 5 years?

Yes I think so, if Labour win then that's how it should be.

What do you think of the TV debates? Who will come off best?
I think Gordon will come across as somebody who is sincere and hard working. Gordon knows what he is talking about. Hopefully the format of the debate will give the leaders a chance to give good answers that don't rely on a clever turn of phrase or putting other people down.

Any final message for our readers?

I don't want people to discount me because I've got the Labour rose next to my name. Labour is where my principals lie. I know Labour does not have a strong history in Bournemouth but I'd ask people to look again and come and talk to me. After the expenses debacle, it should be about how you select the individual that represents you in parliament not necessarily selecting the party.

Find out more about Sharon: bournemouthlabour.org/SharonCarrBrown.aspx