STRATFORD-on-Avon Conservative MP Nadhim Zahawi is looking for a second term in office when the district goes to the polls on May 7.

Mr Zahawi was born in Baghdad to Kurdish parents. Fleeing Saddam’s persecutions, his family arrived in the UK when he was nine.

Before being elected MP for Stratford in 2010 he was an entrepreneur, founding and running the market research company YouGov Plc. In Parliament he has sat on the Business, Innovation and Skills Committee and the Foreign Affairs Committee. A lifelong volunteer, he is a patron of the healthcare charity Kissing it Better and also sits on the advisory board of the International Rescue Committee.

Here is what the party hopefuls have to say in the run up to the elections:

Jeff Kenner, Labour.

"I’m a law professor from Brailes and Labour’s district councillor for Shipston. I’ve a track record of getting things done. My petition for road safety at the Portobello crossroads has persuaded the council to bid for funding. Labour will implement a fully-funded plan for more nurses, home carers and GPs. We’ll protect the education budget, cut tuition fees and provide more apprenticeships. We’ll balance the books and cut the deficit every year. We’ll increase the minimum wage and extend free childcare. I’ll support affordable homes but we must have improvements in infrastructure. Labour has a better plan for Britain.

Dom Giles, Green.

"My name is Dominic Giles and I am a teacher with 25 years’ experience in the classroom. I live and work in Stratford-upon-Avon.

I am passionate about the need for us to develop a country with greater social equality, built on a sustainable environmental footing.

We must protect our NHS from privatisation, bring the railways back under public ownership and invest in our children by scrapping tuition fees. The Greens are serious about tackling climate change and oppose all fracking. We will raise the wages of the lowest in society and raise billions for the common good by clamping down on tax avoidance and evasion."

Elizabeth Adams. Liberal Democrats.

Elizabeth is 28, lives in the constituency with her two young children and works in a pharmacy. She regards herself as a break from the usual ‘old-boys' club’ politicians and a dedicated campaigner on education, healthcare and affordable housing especially for young families. She campaigns on preventing domestic abuse and worked with charities to write the Lib Dem party policy on the topic.

Edward Fila, UKIP

Edward Fila was born in Edinburgh and having worked in various parts of the UK, chose to settle with his family in Stratford in 1980.

He is married with three children and is a keen sportsman.

He has been self employed since coming to the area, and is now involved in the recruitment of staff to the motor industry.

He says as a local resident, he has watched as the district’s development has been affected by excessive housing with no apparent plan to improve local services, has watched as our roads have become gridlocked and wonders how our district and county council plan to educate our children, look after our older and vulnerable residents and those who will need medical care in their later years.

He joined Ukip as he felt the party represented his views. He has opened an office locally and has worked in close association with his committee to establish the party locally.