By Ruth Lucas

‘HONESTY’ was top of the agenda at Wokingham’s general election hustings this week, as Lib Dem candidate Clive Jones was accused of being dishonest about his 'Wokingham home address'.

Tory candidate for Wokingham Lucy Demery accused the Liberal Democrat’s Clive Jones of being “dishonest” and not putting his correct address on the ballot paper.

She was joined by Labour’s Monica Hamadi, Reform UK’s Colin Wright and Prue Bray, deputy leader of Wokingham councils’ Liberal Democrats at a packed electoral hustings at All Saints Church on Wednesday, June 26.

Clive Jones, among the frontrunners for the Tory-strong hold seat, was not present at the hustings due to being unwell. However, the candidate has laughed off the 'dishonesty' claims citing his 40 years as a local resident.

Electoral boundary changes mean that Mr Jones’ address falls outside the Wokingham constituency for this year’s election and is now in the Woodley and Earley constituency.

This came up in discussion following a question from an audience member over what candidates thought was the top priority of the next government. To this, Ms Bray said herself and Clive thought it was “to be honest, to have integrity”, alluding to various scandals under the Tory government - including Boris Johnson’s deliberate misleading of Parliament during the ‘partygate’ scandal.

Responding to this, Ms Demery said: “What else is dishonest is Clive putting Wokingham as his address on the ballot paper even though he doesn’t live in the constituency. That’s not his correct electoral address.” This was met by applause from the audience.

Ms Bray said that Jones' address “was in the constituency, until the constituency boundary was taken away from under him in January”.

Speaking to the News after the debate, Clive Jones said: "I think people saw through it very quickly." He added that voters he's spoken to on the doorstep have "laughed" about it.

"I've lived here for 40 years, how can you not say I'm the local candidate?", he continued.

He had previously told the News that candidate Demery, from Banbury, as well as the Labour candidate Monica Hamadi, from Ealing, had been 'parachuted in' by their parties, and 'know nothing about Wokingham'.

His address in Earley is included on the official statement of persons nominated, unlike Lucy Demery’s and Labour’s Monica Hamadi.

Ms Demery has been joined on her canvassing by former Prime Minister Theresa May, who is stepping down as MP for Twyford and Maidenhead. Due to electoral boundary changes, parts of this seat are now covered by the Wokingham seat.

Although not from the area, she added that her and her family "are really happy to be making Wokingham our home” - met by some laughter from audience members. She added that this is what Ms May did, when first elected to Parliament in 1997.