GENERAL ELECTION: Conservative says sorry for party's scandals as candidates vow to restore public faith in politics

The Conservative candidate for Lancaster & Wyre has apologised on behalf of his party for scandals which have damaged the public's faith in politicians.

Peter Cartridge was speaking on Beyond Radio during a debate ahead of the general election.

Four of the five Lancaster & Wyre candidates were taking questions sent in by listeners during the 'Beyond the Ballot' debate before the election on July 4.

The debate was broadcast on Beyond Radio on Friday.

LISTEN: Lancaster & Wyre 'Beyond the Ballot' debate - Beyond Radio

They were asked how they could reassure the public that politicians could be trusted in future after the many controversies to have hit Britain in recent years including the Post Office, election date betting, Hillsborough and infected blood scandals.

Mr Cartridge, a primary school teacher who is standing for MP in Lancaster for the first time, said: "When you go into politics you've got your convictions and your beliefs. You've got to have integrity. Like any other organisation there is always the danger that some other individuals could be corrupted. I'm not going to defend members of my own party that have fallen well short of the levels of what we would expect of our own Members of Parliament. I can't defend the indefensible.

"There are many people in politics who come into politics for the right reasons. And I think it's very important that we concentrate on the positives of what many politicians do.

"I cannot apologise more for the failings of some of my own party members. Every single political party has been embroiled in scandal in the past. But what I would like to say is a huge apology on behalf of the Conservative Party for individuals who have not held the highest levels of integrity that we expect from public life."

Jack Lenox of the Green Party (pictured below) said: "I feel the same despair that a lot of people feel. A fair few people say, you politicians are all the same. It's something I find particularly depressing. From the Green Party perspective, Caroline Lucas has been an absolute shining star of how you can be a very effective Green MP. She's been incredibly dedicated and very transparent, and very very hard working. She's the blueprint I would be using to try to do the best job I possibly could.

"We don't think politicians should have second jobs. The Green Party would see that banned. I think it's urgent that we reform politics so that politicians are doing the thing they are standing to do. The vast people don't go into politics because they've got some plan to try and gain money and do things on the side. But when there are people poisoning the well, boy do they poison the well."

Matt Severn of the Liberal Democrats (pictured below with Beyond Radio's Greg Lambert, who hosted the debate) said: "We need to deal with the tidal wave of sleaze that we've seen over the past few years from the Conservatives. Party-gate, lying to ministerial colleagues which caused (Boris Johnson's) resignation or betting on the dates of elections which is now being investigated by the Gambling Commission. 

"Horizon, Hillsborough, the infected blood scandal, I'd add Windrush to that as well. We have a really serious problem and we shouldn't shy away from it. The British state is cruel, incompetent and paranoid. It allows these things to happen, for people to be dragged through courts due to computer bugs, for people to be deported because it destroyed their immigration records when they were children, or for people to be given infected blood, or for fans to be crushed to death (at football).

"It doesn't take any steps to rectify those situations. It takes decades to acknowledge that there's even a problem. It purposely drags and drags out compensation to its victims. It's in the interests of the establishment to treat us like that. There are a great many victims of the British state."

Cat Smith, who was MP for Lancaster & Fleetwood from 2015 to 2024 and will stand for Labour in Lancaster & Wyre (pictured below), said: "For some reason saying 'I'm sorry' is something politicians don't say. When we mess up we should hold our hands up and say I'm sorry, I messed up, I called it wrong. Why is it politicians can't say sorry?

"It might not be us personally, it may be the state over a period of time. But if you're the one who is holding the parcel when the music stops, it's your turn to say sorry. We need to get better at that. We need a new Ethics and Integrity Commission.

"Things aren't great, but when you ask people about faith in politicians, they say they watch the TV debates and it's just a bunch of people shouting at each other. I think that's one of the nice things about this Beyond Radio debate. At no point have any of us shouted at each other or gone to petty name-calling.

"People can recognise their local politician and build trust and somehow it doesn't translate through to national politicians. I think it falls on us as local politicians to always do what you say you're going to do and remember that the only way that anyone will ever get to serve is because they have won the trust of the people they're going to represent. It's always about constitiuents before defending the party line on something.

"I don't work for the Labour Party. Keir Starmer is not my boss. My boss, if I'm fortunate to be elected, will be the tens of thousands of people who live in the Lancaster & Wyre constituency, and I will work hard every day to rebuild that trust in politics and politicians."

Read more: GENERAL ELECTION: Labour candidate speaks of frustration at 'warriors on social media' as she defends student flats - Beyond Radio

GENERAL ELECTION: Lib Dem's moving words for his family during debate on social care - Beyond Radio

GENERAL ELECTION: Lancaster & Wyre candidates explain why they should be next MP - Beyond Radio

*We invited all the Lancaster & Wyre candidates to take part in our debate in person, or alternatively provide a mission statement.

A spokesperson for Reform UK said that their Lancaster & Wyre candidate Nigel Alderson would not be attending the debate.