Find out about the candidates standing in the Sutton and Cheam constituency before you vote next month.

Four candidates will be vying to become the constituency’s representative as the nation heads to the polls on Thursday, June 8.

Sutton and Cheam has been held by Conservative Paul Scully since he unseated Liberal Democrat Paul Burstow in May 2015.

Mr Burstow represented the constituency from 1997 to 2015, but confirmed he would not seek re-election.

Instead Mr Scully faces challenges from Amna Ahmad (Lib Dem), Bonnie Craven (Labour) and Claire Jackson-Prior (Green).

UKIP said it would not field candidates in either of the borough’s constituencies, despite having scooped about 10 per cent of the vote two years ago.

We asked each of the candidates for Sutton and Cheam where they stand on this election's key battlegrounds and their local priorities

Amna Ahmad (Liberal Democrat)

Your Local Guardian:

Health

As a health policy campaigner, I understand the NHS and how important it is for local people, which why I am campaigning to keep St Helier Hospital's services open. I have also campaigned against pharmacy cuts and to ensure people in Worcester Park have access to GP services. To fix the underfunding of the NHS I was one of the authors of the Liberal Democrat policy to raise £6billion - by adding a penny on income tax as dedicated cash for the health service.

Education

A teacher in Sutton recently told me she is so worried about the proposed school cuts that she is thinking of quitting teaching. We can’t afford to let that happen. I'm calling for an investment of £3 billion in the core schools budget to end the current funding crisis. We also need to reform the national funding formula so that no local school loses out in cash terms. I am proud of our outstanding schools and I believe a quality education should be available to all.

The economy

We face an uncertain economic future, but there is no one quick measure to fix our productivity and growth challenges. We need to protect local jobs and businesses by investing in skills education. It's one of the reasons I am so proud that Lib Dem run Sutton Council is investing in the London Cancer Hub, which will provide opportunities for our young people for years to come.

Brexit

I want a country that works for all and not an extreme version of Brexit. There is danger that Brexit could mean less money for local public services, a loss of local jobs and less funding for the NHS and education. I hope the UK remains in the single market and that as an open tolerant nation, we guarantee the rights of EU nationals who are settled here. They must not be bargaining chips.

Amna's three local priorities

• Fix the bin situation, by holding Veolia to account for their obligations

• Securing sustainable funding for the NHS, to keep St Helier and other local health services open.

• Protecting local schools from proposed changes to the funding formula that will mean fewer teachers and less investment per child

Bonnie Craven (Labour)

Your Local Guardian:

Health

I campaigned against the Health and Social Care Bill 2012 which increased privatisation in the NHS and threatens the closure of our hospital. Our former Lib Dem MP Paul Burstow co-authored that legislation while in coalition with the Tories. I helped write the Labour NHS policy and delivered the motion to Conference last year, which was passed unanimously. In our party manifesto I’m proud to say we will scrap the H&SB2012, reverse the privatisation of the NHS and halt STP’s which have St Helier lined up to be the first hospital closure in south-west London.

Education

As a qualified teacher and mum of four, education is highly important to me. I campaigned against academy schools, including the mass conversion of our conversion of our high schools in Sutton. I’ve helped parents at my school organise to campaign against Key Stage 1 SATS and I’m happy that Labour will introduce a national education service, allowing life-long learning for everyone. As part of this our party will scrap tuition fees. I am opposed to the expansion of grammar schools, every school should be excellent.

The economy

Before I became a teacher, I worked in finance. Austerity will always remove money from the economy. After seven years of austerity we have seen the very rich flourish while demand for food banks has gone through the roof. It can’t be right that malnutrition is a major problem. As a teacher I have given my lunch to hungry pupils many a time. In 2015 alone homeless families in Sutton increased by 47 per cent. All these social ills have come about because of the Tory’s decision to impose austerity. The choice to invest money into the economy as jobs are created. No economy can be said to properly run when people are homeless, unable to feed themselves properly or are working but not able to afford to live.

Brexit

The government called the referendum with no clear plan for a vote to leave. The majority of people to leave and as it is a democratic choice I believe we must work to achieve the safest and most fair exit from the EU. I know that if we leave Theresa May in Number 10 will be a disaster for us.

Bonnie's three local priorities

• St Helier Hospital and the NHS – It is a matter of life and death to defend them, and the Tories and Lib Dems have made it clear where they stand.

• Education – Give all children a chance to achieve their potential. We don’t have enough teachers in our schools and unless we have a Labour government next month, Sutton will lose 339 teachers by 2020. Our children deserve better than that.

• Housing for all – Not a single council house has been built in Sutton for years. I will work to ensure Sutton will build its fair share of truly affordable homes as well as new council housing, and ensure a fair deal for people who rent their homes.

Claire Jackson-Prior (Greens)

Your Local Guardian:

Health

I believe the NHS should be publicly funded and provided by people who are directly people who are employed by the NHS. Billions of pounds every year is wasted on PFI payments and the administration needed to organise outsourcing. This money could be better used for patient care. Already we are seeing the loss of some treatments and prescriptions, the stopping of IVF referals for patients who come under the Merton CCG and the stopping of prescribing of gluten-free foods is being done to save the CCGs money.

Education

I believe that life-long education is of benefit to the whole country. It is a social good as well as an economic one. I believe that a good education gives everyone the power to help themselves and others and that it should be used as a business opportunity for companies. Higher and Further Education benefit all of society too, not just those who receive the education. I believe that the SATS test should be stopped and that teacher assessment is a much more appropriate way of measuring.

The economy

I believe that the economic system we have is designed to favour those who are already wealth at the cost of the rest. We need to recognise that rather than “trickling down” from the rich to the poor it actually goes the other way. Businesses need investment, yes, but they also need customers. If people can’t afford to buy products and services, growth slows. Many seem to have no idea how the monetary system works, they seem to believe that we are still using a gold-standard structure. A proper understanding of how the monetary system works would provide a much more sensible background on which to base policies.

Brexit

I voted to remain in the EU, but for me it was a very difficult choice. I feel, as many do, that the EU has too much power in some ways, but it was my concern that leaving could lead to less fewer environmental protections, workers’ rights and leaving the European Convention on Human Rights that persuaded me to vote remain.

Claire's three local priorities

• NHS services – The public needs to be told about the Sustainability and Transformation Plan for south-west London. The reconfiguration of NHS services will affect everyone at some point. There are plans for fewer GP surgeries and reductions in treatments and prescriptions.

• A new high school – I am in favour of a new school being built in south Sutton rather than Rosehill. There are already two high schools in that area and the traffic during school opening and closing times is awful. The idea that another high school should add to this is ridiculous.

• The Beddington incinerator – This is under construction and I believe it will damage the air quality for all of us and make traffic more congested near the site. Sutton’s Green Party plan to test the air quality regularly and keep residents informed about the levels.

Paul Scully (Incumbent-Conservative)

Your Local Guardian:

Health

We need a strong economy to ensure that the NHS has the money it needs. I have spoken out in Parliament about the need for more attention and funding for research into brain tumours and pancreatic cancer. I will continue to campaign for an NHS that puts mental health on an equal footing with physical health and for pharmacies and GPs to have the resources to be able to take away some of the pressure from our A&E and acute hospital services. Locally we need to secure a bright future for St Helier rather than simply talking about it with no alternative to offer.

Education

Ninety per cent of schools are good or outstanding, up from two-thirds in 2010. It is right that the government continues to drive up standards and it is important that we also give our children a well-rounded education. Sutton schools benefit on average from the proposed new funding formula but we need to look at additional cost pressures. As someone who has served on the finance committee of three separate Sutton schools as a governor, I know the challenges that headteachers face to make the most of their resources. That is why I have spent time visiting a number of headteachers asking them to give me real, concrete examples of concerns that I can present to the Secretary of State so that we make sure that Sutton schools both selective and non-selective are able to remain among the best in the country.

The economy

A strong, stable economy is the only way to provide the investment for our NHS, education and all public services. Employment is at record levels, up by 2.8 million since 2010. Last year our economy grew faster than all but one other major advanced economy. Jeremy Corbyn's uncosted pledges promising sharp tax rises and huge new borrowing, puts our growing economy and jobs at risk. As someone who has run small businesses over the last 20 years, I know how uncertainty affects trade. Theresa May needs our support as the right person to chart our course through the negotiations ahead, keeping our economy on an even keel whilst extending workers' rights to strike a fair deal for ordinary working people.

The environment

Carbon emissions have fallen by 6 per cent since 2010. Our share of electricity generated from renewables has doubled since 2009. For the first time, low carbon energy sources were responsible for producing the majority of Britain's electricity at the end of last year. Keeping this progress is crucial. We have to ensure that companies see the benefits for their businesses in improving environmental practices and make it easy for people to recycle. Air quality is a significant issue in London with the borough of Sutton having two of the most polluted roads in the capital, one by the site of the new incinerator in Beddington being built for the council.

Brexit

I campaigned and voted to leave the EU and take back control. This election is not about rerunning last year's debate but to judge who is best to represent the UK in Brexit negotiations to secure a bespoke deal that works for everyone. The Labour party cannot agree on their stance, the Lib Dems feed off uncertainty in trying to unpick the result of the referendum. Theresa May will provide strong and steady leadership looking beyond the political posturing to concentrate on the balance between financial services, manufacturing, a fairer immigration system, the rights of both EU citizens in the UK and Brits living abroad. Negotiations will be complex but they matter. Getting Brexit right will decide whether or not our children have a safe, secure and prosperous future.

Paul's three local priorities

• Keeping St Helier hospital open and making sure that vital healthcare services remain in Sutton will always be at the top of the list of my priorities.

• In the next year or so we are going to be short of secondary school places for our local children if we do not get on and build a new school which we know has been needed for nearly a decade.

• Building our local economy takes in so many issues; ensuring that we have local job opportunities; effective public transport; places to shop, spend time and benefit from our strong local community links.

Ashley Dickenson - Christian Peoples Alliance

Health

The CPA is committed to a publicly-funded, effective and value for money NHS that promotes health and well-being and provides the best possible outcomes that is free at the point of delivery for all UK citizens.

The increased spending for social care of £2 billion over three years is welcome though less than the £2 billion  per year from 2017 – 2020 inclusive that was called for.  We would make this a priority. We would also encourage nurse training to contain an increased sense of vocation and practical training.  

We would also seek to reduce bureaucracy, increase efficiency in managing change with a view to empowering individuals and local communities, eg promoting the status of Patient Participant Groups.

Education

As Christian Democrats we would oppose encroaching interference by the state, often in a very immoral way.  The last Government moved to introduce relationships education  for primary schools and the NUT has backed calls for toddlers as  young as two to be taught about LGBT issues. 

As your candidate for Carshalton & Wallington I would defend the right for any teacher / parents who could not in all good conscience support this move.

There ought to be a mixture of private, comprehensive and voluntary schools.  The issue is about increasing the quality of educational outcome. 

I am given to understand that finances have not been spread equally across our schools, hence the impression of education ‘cuts’.  Where there is an imbalance that must be addressed by increasing resources to schools who lack them without depriving existing providers.

Economy

We are opposed to big companies like Google, Facebook and Starbucks to get away with paying little or no tax. The CPA proposes a turnover tax of 5% to be offset against corporation tax, that we would retain at 20%. 

We will consult on the minimum level of turnover to which this will apply, eg £30,000 but it’s intended to ensure that appropriate tax is collected from multinationals who would otherwise transfer their profits overseas. 

That figure is currently subject to negotiation.   We would not seek to raise the corporation tax as Labour would wish to do; the lower this tax, especially for manufactured goods as Ireland’s experience has shown, means more jobs are created.

We would oppose the planned Third Heathrow runway and propose a new airport to be built in the Thames Estuary served by new rail links to the capital.  There are spin-off benefits: reclaimed land could also mean a) hydro-electric dams to serve the Estuary towns and b) a further protection against possible Thames flooding.

Brexit

While we largely support what Theresa May is doing over Brexit we would take moral and practical steps to take some of the angst out of the situation by, eg: granting full rights of residence and work to all EU citizens who can show they are resident in the UK as at the date of publication of our manifesto, Thursday 18 May 2017, granting full rights of residence to all EU citizens who are married to or in a civil partnership with (or have booked weddings or civil partnerships) as at the date of publication of our manifesto; enter into Brexit Negotiations in good faith on the basis that these are not a ‘zero-sum game’ ie that a successful negotiation will end with both the UK and the EU ending up in a better place than if the negotiations break down.

Those negotiations will not, however, be on the twenty-seven States’ basis that a financial settlement must be reached before trade talks can be started but that all matters must be discussed at the same time in parallel talks.

If that is not acceptable to the twenty-seven States, or if no acceptable deal can be reached on the basis set out below, then the CPA would repeal the European Communities Act 1972 and exit the EU without paying a penny more into its coffers from the date of our exit, falling back on World Trade Organisation rules.