Neil Craig (Democratic Nationalists) “Bradford’s traffic system is fragmented and unorganised. We have a motorway that goes nowhere, no proper ring road, a railway system that splits the city and a Council that insists on slowing traffic down with speed bumps and mini roundabouts everywhere.

“No development can succeed if the city is in gridlock. We must look at successful traffic management schemes that exist elsewhere and build a modern and positive traffic system.

“Now is the time to look at the cross rail link and not be held to ransom by property developers whose only concern is profit. This also applies to the Odeon which has been neglected for years by its landlords and Bradford Council - it should remain as a twin for the magnificent Alhambra.

“For too many years Bradford’s planners have knocked splendid buildings down and replaced them with short-life ‘modern’ buildings. Emphasis should be taken away from short-term-fix grandiose schemes such as the Bradford Canal, and in their place put long term development.

“Stop experimenting with education and our futures, traditional methods worked well. Employ the best educationalists as all our children deserve it and instead of giving all our children academic qualifications give those that want them vocational skills. There should be no reason to outsource our labour force. All of our children should be able to speak English before they start school.”

George Galloway (Respect) “Unemployment, especially among young people, is rocketing in Bradford West. It is far worse than both the national figure and in comparable cities. The city has been failed by its local leaders, who have presided over decline and taken the people for granted for too long.

“The city centre should be a vibrant hub for the whole region. Instead it has holes in the ground and crumbling buildings where shops and cultural centres ought to be. I stand for an industrial and regeneration policy for Bradford, fighting for investment and real jobs – not savage and self-defeating cuts started by Labour and continued by the Condem coalition.

“It also means promoting what is good about Bradford - its people and potential. Yet no one hears about that either. Why can Leeds attract investment, but not Bradford? I will champion this city and its people, resist these cuts and fight to win the public and private investment we need.

“Bradford University and Bradford College are world class and the world should know it. But our schools are in a disgraceful state – far worse than most other deprived cities. The officials and politicians responsible for that should be hauled over the coals. If instead, that failure is rewarded at this election by returning those who are responsible for it, then nothing will change.

“Bradford West needs a strong voice and a fresh start.”

Alan “Howling Laud” Hope (Monster Raving Loony Party) No statement was supplied Imran Hussain (Labour) “Long-term youth unemployment in Bradford West has tripled since the beginning of last year. And the total number of people out of work here has risen more than anywhere else in Yorkshire. That is nothing short of a disgrace. David Cameron and George Osborne don’t care – they don’t understand the harm their failed economic strategy is doing to Bradford.

“But I do. I was born here, grew up here, I live here now with my family. So I am backing Labour’s proposal of the guarantee of a job for six months for any young person who has been on the dole for a year.

“Real jobs, in small local businesses fully funded by a tax on bankers’ bonuses. George Osborne’s given bankers a tax break – I think that’s wrong, I would put Bradford before the bankers.

“Key to this is bringing investment to our city centre. We need to be attracting businesses who can take on local people in numbers – that means working tirelessly to make sure the plans underway for the Westfield site are pushed forward as quickly as possible.

“The cost of living is hurting hard-working families and pensioners across Bradford West – people are spending £100 on a tank of fuel, their supermarket bill is soaring, their energy bills are huge. Labour would temporarily reverse the Tories’ damaging VAT rise, putting £450 a year back in the pocket of every family with children in Bradford, and taking 3p off a litre of petrol.”

Dawud Islam (Green Party) “The Government’s austerity cuts have hit Bradford West hard with high levels of deprivation in parts of the constituency. Those who were furthest away from the causes of the financial meltdown are the ones paying the heaviest price.

Unemployment, pay freezes, benefit cuts, fuel poverty, reduction in pensions, unaffordable rents – these are just a few of the issues Bradford West residents face daily. The Green New Deal is the only fully costed plan to exit the recession without the need for cutbacks in jobs, wages or public services.

“We would reform the financial sector to ensure fairer and more progressive forms of taxation, prioritising people and communities before profits. We completely oppose the proposed NHS reforms. On housing we have a national campaign pledge to put a million empty homes back in to use, which would see tangible benefits for the deprived parts of Bradford West.

“In a recession every penny counts. It is therefore the height of folly to be wasting millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money on an unwinnable war in Afghanistan. We call for an immediate withdrawal of troops so that no more servicemen and women are lost and for an end to sabre rattling over Iran. We call for renewed political initiatives to resolve the conflict in Israel and Palestine. These are international issues but resonate highly in our diverse community here in Bradford West.”

Sonja McNally (UK Independence Party) “Bradford has been run in to the ground by the Council and our reputation is in tatters. A referendum on the Odeon would get people involved in rebuilding our city and I will give the Council a boot up the backside to finish the Westfield development, bringing in 2,500 jobs – I will be an ambassador for Bradford and restore pride in our city.

“Those that earn the least need help. There should be no tax on minimum wage and tuition fees should be scrapped. Students who are working to pay for university and those just scraping by need relief and I will champion these causes in parliament.

“Crime is a big problem. I was a Street Angel which means I helped those in vulnerable positions and so I’ve seen many of the problems our city faces. This is the sort of hands on approach I think politicians should take and I pledge to bring some of those politicians out, kicking and screaming if necessary, so they can meet locals and make our community safer.”

Jeanette Sunderland (Liberal Democrat) “Look around the city and you’ll soon spot Labour’s legacy of failure.

The glorious City Park is overshadowed by the Odeon, an iconic landmark that Labour has left to rot. There’s still a huge hole where the Westfield shopping centre should be. How can we take pride in our city while it remains a giant building site? We need to get a grip. I recently helped secure £17m of Government money to kick-start Westfield and I’ll show the determined leadership needed to sort out the Odeon site.

“Thanks to Labour’s failings in Government industry in this city is really suffering, and decent, lasting jobs are few and far between. I will fight tooth and nail to bring manufacturing jobs back to Bradford. I have been working with Vince Cable to bring more apprenticeships to Bradford to create real jobs for young people and I am proud there are now 4,620 apprentices in the city – 70 per cent more than when Labour left power. If elected I will push for many more apprenticeships to be brought into Bradford.

“Too much of our beautiful countryside has already been concreted over to make way for identikit housing that’s not necessary. I will fight hard to make homes for young people more affordable – but those homes should be in the inner city. I am pressing ministers to bring these homes back into use and make them affordable for young people.”

Jackie Whiteley (Conservative) “We are making sure that our children and grandchildren are not burdened with Labour’s debt. Labour left this country with huge debts. It would be wrong to pass these debts onto our children and grandchildren. We have taken the difficult decisions to get our house in order. I back raising the state pensions, cutting income tax, freezing council tax, capping benefits to end Labour’s ‘something for nothing culture’ and encouraging small businesses to use cash bonuses to offer apprenticeships for young people and start-ups.

“I support new measures from the Government to ensure young people and small businesses feel the full benefits of the successful expansion of Apprenticeships. There has already been a 67 per cent increase in the number of apprentices in Bradford.

“I will use my experience as a careers adviser and businesswoman to campaign for even more apprenticeships for Bradford.

“Government moves to cut red-tape and regulation, promote Regional and Businesses Growth Funds and stopping Labour’s jobs tax have resulted in Yorkshire seeing a 20 per cent increase in the number of start-up companies. Even in tough times the Government is investing in transport infrastructure and taking action to cut petrol prices – both will boost business and jobs in Bradford.”