POLITICIANS need to connect more with local people, according to Rob Hylands, Lib Dem candidate for Gosport.

He believes being a pub landlord he has his finger on the pulse of the local community.

The 52-year-old, dad-of-three runs the Foresters Arms, in Ann's Hill Road, with his wife Lorna and is involved in the arranging of charity events, a darts league and the Pub Watch scheme.

He went to St John's infants and junior school then Brune Park.

Mr Hylands tried his hand at a few jobs and a talent with computers led to him writing and producing console games.

Game versions of Back to the Future and Die Hard were among the titles he worked on before moving into management.

He said the most important issues in Gosport are housing, transport and training and education which are all interlinked with the creation of jobs.

He believes with the right training and education it could be the perfect place for manufacturing firms specialising in hi-tech industries and green technologies.

The granddad said: "The Government has become too centralised and we need to move away from this towards a system where local decisions are made by local people.

"If elected I will fight for a better deal for Gosport, because Gosport is my home, it is where my heart is and where my family and friends live."