Diana Coad is an independent who is the chair of a fostering panel, a poppy appeal organiser, and supports survivors of domestic abuse. She says she can still run rings around people half her age.

What’s your connection to Slough, or why do you want to represent Slough? I have lived there for 25 years since I was first selected to fight the parliamentary seat of Slough in 1999. I have fought Slough a number of times and was a councillor there for twelve years fighting the corruption in Slough council. I believe in the people of Slough and Slough itself. it has been reduced to a third world country by uncaring labour MP’s and the bankrupted labour council.

What are the three biggest challenges facing Slough? Biggest challenges facing Slough are bankruptcy which is decimating services and destroying the town centre by moving the council out of the centre into luxury offices, and failing to attract investment. Lack of affordable housing and sectarianism now trying to divide a previous harmonious population. Also training and skills to fill the Slough jobs, lack of dentists and doctors, crime and violence, homelessness and electric scooters on pavements.

I am campaigning on being the voice for the voiceless and their families. for all the above reasons and when elected I will be fighting for Slough residents and working with the council as they are weakly led and need stronger voices and to help with making tough decisions. As MP I will work to get inward investment to Slough.

How will you help struggling high streets and town centres? Our high street is a disgrace as you wade through rubbish and avoid electric bikes and scooters. I would encourage big names back into our high street. Farnham Road is really the new town centre.

How can you help make sure people can afford to live here while protecting our green spaces and countryside from development? People in Slough are being priced out of accommodation by London boroughs placing their homeless here, as it is cheaper. This is unfair on our homeless and younger people and families. rents are ludicrous. we need to build more council housing stock. We also need to stop the constant influx of people arriving in boats which puts too much strain on our health services, housing and education. Help people once you have helped yourselves. I will work to preserve our green spaces which we need – and to develop brownfield sites

How will you help councils struggling with their finances? Can you help them to deal with the special educational needs crisis? Will you want the government to continue the Household Support Grant? The council are still making very odd decisions and have a grandiose council office which is largely empty as people are still working from home – get them back to work or get out of that building.

We definitely need more SEN places which is so neglected. As for the household support grant. it is a ridiculous situation that people are struggling to pay power bills and the government, with our money, is subsidising the huge profits of power companies through this grant which allows the power companies to charge what they will. Also, the slavish adherence to net zero will never work – unless we want to return to lifestyles like the middle ages, up with dawn and asleep by sundown. I also cannot believe how the government are claiming that inflation is now low – try taking a supermarket trolley round and check it out.

What car do you drive (do you drive)? I drive a jaguar XK8 bought for my late husband when he was diagnosed with cancer – so it’s old but very precious to me

What's your favourite film or TV show? I have three favourite films – the sting and Zulu

When was the last time you cried? I cried last week when my dogs tripped me up and I fell in the mud and hurt myself as well as my pride! Gaza really makes me want to cry.

Have you ever taken illegal drugs? I have never taken illegal drugs and am still involved with the national drug prevention alliance for whom I used to be a spokesman and committee member.