The parliamentary candidates in St Albans went head-to-head in a hustings event organised for the St Albans Jewish community.

The NHS, health tourism, taxation, housing, Britain’s membership of the EU, the Israel/Palestine situation and the rise in anti-semitism and anti-semitic incidents were the issues covered at the event held at St Albans United Synagogue.

More than 120 people attended the debate, which was jointly organised by St Albans Masorti Synagogue (SAMS) and St Albans United Synagogue.

A question and answer session followed brief statements by each candidate – Anne Main, Conservative, Jack Easton, Greens, Kerry Pollard, Labour, Sandy Walkington, Liberal Democrat and Chris Wright, UKIP.

Each of the candidates faced a measure of support and opposition for their pronouncements and each drew applause for one or other element of their manifesto.

An impromptu collection for Rennie-Grove Hospice Care at the end of the evening raised nearly £150.