This is your chance to quiz election hopefuls

The Question Time-style event is being staged at Worcestershire County Cricket Club’s Graeme Hick Pavilion on Wednesday, April 21, starting at 7.30pm.

An audience of 100 Worcester News readers will be able to put their questions to Conservative candidate Robin Walker, Labour’s Mike Foster and Liberal Democrat hopeful Jackie Alderson.

Readers who apply for tickets are asked to provide a question they would like to ask on the night. The most popular and pertinent questions will be chosen.

The three candidates will not be informed of the questions to be asked and will each be given the same amount of time to answer.

Audience members will be able to respond to the candidates’ replies once they have all spoken.

Worcester News editor Kevin Ward will chair the Election Debate.

Mr Ward said: “This event gives the voters of Worcester a chance to hear at first hand the views of the three main party candidates on the issues that matter to our readers.

“The three candidates will have to show a mastery of their party’s policies and the ability to think on their feet as they will have no knowledge of the questions our readers will be posing.

“We have restricted the panel to the three main parties to make the event manageable and because no other party has secured more than three per cent of the vote at the last three general elections. All the other candidates, however, are being offered the chance to give their answers to the questions asked on the night. We will print their replies a couple of days after the Election Debate.”

Our thanks go to Worcestershire County Cricket Club for their invaluable assistance in staging this event, and to BBC Hereford and Worcester for the provision of sound equipment. Please note the bar in the Graeme Hick Pavilion will be open at the end of the Election Debate.

How to apply for tickets: Ticket applications must be made via e-mail: There are 100 audience places available and our intention is to ensure the audience is made up of a broad cross-section of the Worcester electorate with as many political viewpoints represented as possible.

To apply for tickets: you must be eligible to vote in the Worcester parliamentary constituency.

Your e-mail application must include: your name and full address and a daytime telephone number. You must tell us if you are a member of a political party and how you intend to vote in the general election. The information will be used for audience selection purposes only and will not be published.

Please include: The question you would like to ask.

Successful ticket applicants and those selected to ask questions: Will be informed via an e-mail from Kevin Ward, the editor of the Worcester News.

Please send your application to: election@worcester news.co.uk or log on to worcesternews.co.uk and click the debate banner on the homepage for further details.