The nominations deadline has expired for those wishing to stand in the 2017 general election, with a number of last minute entries making their way onto the ballot papers in Lincoln.

Latecomer

Iain Scott-Burdon who is from Lincoln and registered deaf, is standing as an Independent candidate for the first time in the constituency. Iain, whose first language is British Sign Language, works for Lincolnshire County Council and chairs the Disabled Staff Engagement Group. He also sits on the National Disabled Committee for Unison and says he is “passionate about helping the community”.

Music man

Well-known Lincoln busker Phil Gray also entered the race in the eleventh hour. Often seen on the city streets with a guitar in hand and a colourful cowboy hat on his head, Phil has already begun spreading his message to bring “love, joy and peace to the neighbourhood of Lincoln.” He says he wants to see change and a reform of government.

Looking for re-election

Conservative Karl McCartney was re-elected for a second term in the 2015 general election. He was first elected in 2010 with 17,163 (37.5%) votes, with a 1,058 majority over Labour’s Gillian Merron (MP from 1997-2010). In the 2015 election he increased his majority to 19,976 (42.6%) votes over Labour’s Lucy Rigby, who received 1,443 fewer votes.

Former mayor

Local Labour councillor and former Mayor of Lincoln Karen Lee is the party’s official candidate for the election on June 8. The Carholme ward city councillor and Lincoln County Hospital nurse became active in the Labour party in 1997 and was first elected for the ward in 2003. Lee currently chairs the council’s Community Leadership Scrutiny Committee and the Select Scrutiny Committee and served as Lincoln’s mayor between 2012 and 2013.

Fourth time standing

Nick Smith, who lives in the city and previously stood in 2005, 2010 and 2015, was selected as the UKIP candidate for the Lincoln constituency. In the 2010 election Nick received 1,004 (2.2%) votes, which shot up to 5,721 (12.2%) votes in 2015.

Lib Dem businesswoman

The Liberal Democrats named local businesswoman Caroline Kenyon as their candidate to fight for the Lincoln seat. Caroline was born and raised in London and moved to the county 20 years ago with her husband, when Caroline set up her PR business specialising in the promotion of Lincolnshire produce and British food.

Hospital doctor

Green Party candidate Ben Loryman, who lives in Lincoln with his family, is standing in the city of the first time. He says he is concerned with the staffing crisis in the NHS and stated after his nomination that he wanted to “ensure that some of the £350 million a week promised by the Brexiteers is used to set up a medical school in Lincolnshire.”

Look out for more coverage of the general election campaign on The Lincolnite and Lincolnshire Reporter.