CHURCHES held hustings events on Sunday, giving voters in two of the town’s new constituencies a chance to quiz candidates.
Tilehurst Methodist Church hosted a session for Reading West and Mid Berkshire candidates in the afternoon, while Wesley Methodist was the venue for the Reading Central seat in the evening.
Both sessions were hosted by Michael Penny, the chair of Churches Together in Reading.
He was pleased with how they went.
“We have some really good questions, and some really good answers,” he said. “We had a good range of people in the audience.
“The level of debate was excellent, the panels debated as politicians should debate.”
All candidates except for Reform UK attended the Reading West hustings, and the Conservative and Reform UK candidates did not attend the Reading Central event.
The debates continue this Sunday, as churches from Earley and East Reading areas hold a hustings event for the new Earley and Woodley seat.
It will be held from 6.30pm at Trinity Church, part of the Asda complex off Chalfont Way.
This will be chaired by Jon Salmon, the church’s minister.
Candidates invited include Pauline Jorgensen (Conservatives), Tahir Maher (Lib Dem), Gary Shacklady (Greens), and Yuan Yang (Labour).
Entry is free.
