Inside our Preston election hustings
Plus: Part one of my guide to every General Election candidate in Lancashire
On Monday night, around 100 members of the public gathered in a university lecture theatre to hear from six people who could be named as Preston’s MP in two weeks. One of the aims of The Lancashire Lead has been to help people better engage with local news and politics so to be able to play a role in hosting this event felt particularly significant in that regard.
The hustings were organised alongside Blog Preston and the Lancashire Post in the kind of collaboration which I would love to see become more commonplace in local media. Local democracy reporter Paul Faulkner chaired the two-hour event and I was among the many to sing his praises while leaving UCLan.
In contrast to the first hustings the Lead co-organised in Blackpool South, which was almost entirely focused on local issues with each candidate stressing their long standing roots in the town and how they would revive its fortunes, there was much more discussion of national issues and policies here.
There were also international topics on the agenda, with the Gaza crisis understandably high on the agenda for many in the audience. Mark Hendrick, who has been MP since 2000, faced criticism for his voting record but gave a defiant response and insisted he could sleep at night with no regrets.
That’s not to say there weren't still plenty of local issues discussed, with candidates quizzed on plans for Preston’s new hospital and its housing needs - you can read about those in my Blog Preston piece.
Knowing Paul like I do, I expected he’d be writing plenty about everything that was discussed on the night and he’s started off with the opening statements on each candidate in his first piece. I’ll be sure to share any more as they’re published.
The event was also streamed by both Blog Preston and the Lancashire Post - click those links if you’d like to watch it back.
And if you want to hear more from the candidates and specifically how they can support Preston businesses, there’ll be another hustings at 8am on June 28. More details and how to sign up are available from NWL Chamber of Commerce and Preston BID’s Mark Whittle here.
The Lead is also planning to announce more hustings in the coming days so watch this space for more announcements.
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Over the past week or so, I’ve set about trying to put together a short profile of every candidate standing in Lancashire seats in this election. To say I underestimated the challenge of this task would itself be an understating things but it has nevertheless been an interesting and valuable experience.
Even having covered Lancashire for as long as I have, it’s easy to forget how diverse the priorities and political leanings are in different parts of the county and this has been a good way to get to grips with some of the variation. Profiles for the first five of those seats are included in this newsletter and the rest will be published before July 4.
Blackburn
Kate Hollern (Labour)
Kate Hollern has been Blackburn MP since 2015 and previously served as leader of Blackpool and Darwen Borough Council from 2004-2007 and 2010-2015. Before becoming an MP she worked in a shoe factory and a college and during her time in politics she has been appointed as Shadow Defence Minister and Shadow.
She described herself as a “fervent supporter of the NHS” who “opposes vehemently the privatisation of services”. She has repeatedly called for a ceasefire in Gaza and as well as backing calls for a scheme to take in refugees from Gaza.
Adnan Hussain (Independent)
Independent candidate Adnan Hussain is standing on a pro-Palestinian platform and has the backing of the 4BwD group of councillors who quit Labour over the national party’s stance on the Gaza crisis.
He is a former Labour member who quit the party in 2020 and says the two-party system does not work. Hussain wants to tackle issues such as poverty, deprivation and the housing crisis as well as bringing greater inclusivity within the town.
Hussain was born and raised in East Lancashire, graduated from University of Central Lancashire and now runs his own legal practice in Blackburn.
Jamie McGowan (Conservative)
Jamie McGowan has been a councillor on Burnley Council since 2022 and was recently named as chair of its scrutiny committee. He previously stood for the party in 2021 and for UKIP in 2016.
McGowan has worked for Burnley MP Antony Higginbotham since his election in 2019. Born and raised in Burnley, he also set up his own media business in the town.
Denise Morgan (Green)
Animal rights activist Denise Morgan was chosen as the Green Party candidate earlier this year. She also stood in the recent local election but was not elected.
The singer-songwriter has appeared on The Voice UK in 2012 and on the Irish version of the show in 2015. She also works as an SEO Content Manager for Blackburn-based vaping company Totally Wicked.
Craig Murray (Workers Party of Britain)
Former British diplomat Craig Murray previously stood in Blackburn in 2005, opposing Foreign Secretary and his former boss Jack Straw after speaking out against the war on terror. He is now standing in support of Palestinians and in opposition to policies such as increased defence spending and harsher attitudes to welfare payments and immigration controls.
The author, journalist and human rights campaigner has the backing of people including Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters, the wife of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, and the Palestinian foreign ministry.
Tiger Patel (Independent)
Taxi driver turned political Tiger Patel was elected to Blackburn with Darwen Council in 2021 after creating a series of social media videos which went viral. He later quit the Conservative Party over its stance on Gaza and won re-election as an Independent in May’s local elections.
He has vowed to represent and speak out for the whole community in Blackburn if elected.
Natasha Shah (Independent)
Natasha Shah decided to stand as a result of the Government’s failure to support a ceasefire in Gaza and says she stands united with Palestine. She says she also opposes Conservative and Labour policies on disability benefits and wants to see more support for young and struggling families, along with greater NHS investment and an end to student fees.
Shah has set up charities to help LGBTQ+ communities, disability groups,and people affected by domestic violence. She stood in the recent local elections but was not elected.
Tommy Temperley (Reform)
Businessman and former Conservative Party activist Tommy Temperley was selected as the Reform candidate in May. He wants to see lower taxes and lower immigration as well as opposing “woke nonsense”.
Temperley has spoken of a need to protect core democratic values, civil liberties and right to free speech and wants to celebrate the country’s heritage.
Adam Waller-Slack (Liberal Democrat)
NHS anaesthetist Adam Waller-Slack is standing in his second General Election, having previously stood in Hyndburn in 2019. He has also stood in three Hyndburn local elections and one in Salford, finishing last on each occasion.
Blackpool North and Fleetwood
Dan Barker (Reform)
Dan Barker was named as the Conservative candidate for Greater Manchester mayor this year but defected to Reform during the campaign. He described the party as the “new home of conservatism” which “represents the ordinary people of this country”.
A magistrate who is also self-employed in the nuclear and civil industry, he lists his priorities as including the impact of immigration, small boat crossings, the cost of living crisis, “getting people back to work, supporting the NHS and ending “Net Zero madness”.
Lorraine Beavers (Labour)
Born and raised in Fleetwood, Lorraine Beavers has served as a councillor for two two decades and sits on Wyre Council, Fleetwood Town Council, and Lancashire County Council, where she is deputy leader of the Labour group.
Beavers describes herself as a proud socialist and wants to see more investment in communities and public services, while improving prospects for young people in the area. She has campaigned for the reconnection of the train line to Fleetwood and Thornton as well as the proposal for an electricity generating barrage at the River Wyre along with a new access road which would link to Cumbria and Scotland.
Jan Cresswell (Social Democratic Party)
Jan Cresswell says she is standing of offer an alternative to the main parties, especially for those who feel politically homeless. The party’s priorities include reducing net migration and re-nationalising rail companies and utility firms.
It also wants to establish a British Housing Corporation to oversee and fund the construction of 100,000 social homes per year and to bring forward legislation to improve tenants’ rights.
Gita Gordon (Independent)
Gita Gordon previously stood as a Liberal Democrat candidate in two General Elections but is now running as an independent having observed that MPs “do not have the ability to prioritise their constituents over their party's agenda”.
A car worker who was on the frontline during Covid and ran her own business, she lists the mishandling of the pandemic among the government’s failures and wants to see proper funding of local services, increased investment in healthcare, and support for local businesses.
Gordon is an advocate of Proportional Representation (PR) and believes people are being let down by the two party system.
Bill Greene (Liberal Democrat)
Bill Greene spent 15 years as a councillor and is currently chair of Blackpool Liberal Democrats. He moves to the Fylde coast in 1970s and has been an active Liberal / Liberal Democrat supporter since 1974
Now retired and studying for a Physics degree, he previously worked as an IT professional and a project risk manager on insurance and government projects.
Greene previously stood as General Election candidate in Blackpool North in 2010 and Blackpool South in 2015, 2017 and 2019.
Paul Maynard (Conservative)
Paul Maynard was first elected as Blackpool North and Cleveleys MP in 2010 and has been re-elected three times since. He has served in various senior roles, most recently Pensions Minister, but was found to have breached expenses rules earlier this year after using his taxpayer-funded office for party purposes.
He wants to see improvements to the NHS, education along with ensuring the “viability of Cleveleys as a shopping destination and improving Blackpool and not just as a tourism destination”. He also wants to see the restoration of Fleetwood and Thornton rail links.
Tina Rothery (Green)
Prominent anti-fracking campaigner Tina Rothery joined the Green Party to support issues including the preservation of the NHS, the integrity of education, clean affordable energy, nationalisation of railways, fair taxation, action to tackle air pollution and refusing the advance of dangerous industries.
She says fracking is a major threat to rural areas like Fylde and that industrialisation could put its farming and tourism industries at risk.
James Rust (Official Monster Raving Loony Party)
James Rust is standing in his first General Election for the Official Monster Raving Loony Party. Its policies include making MPs stand in stocks and have custard pies thrown at them during constituency surgeries and sending misbehaving MPs to Rwanda.
Blackpool South
Stephen Black (Independent)
Stephen Black is standing as an independent campaign for the second time, having received 163 votes in May’s by-election. He has spoken regularly about the threats of international bankers and other global conspiracies.
During the last campaign, he also made calls to nationalise AI and search engines and was criticised over his antics during Chris Webb’s election speech at that election.
Mark Butcher (Reform)
Mark Butcher ran in May’s by-election and has been selected to stand again as the Reform candidate. He founded the Amazing Grace charity which provides a soup kitchen and community cafe to support the elderly, isolated and vulnerable in Blackpool.
He wants to see the return of commercial flights at Blackpool Airport and the creation of a major film studio in the town. He also wants to see less immigration, lower taxes, reduced foreign aid and increased Defence spending.
Andy Cregan (Liberal Democrat)
A former Labour representative, Andy Cregan defected to the Liberal Democrats while sitting on Tower Hamlets Council in 2017. Having grown up in the resort, he returned to stand for the Liberal Democrats in May’s by-election, saying he’d seen the town further decaying with each return visit.
A fierce critic of the Labour run council, he is demanding action within the Foxhall Conservation Area and also wants to see greater investment and funding for the town’s public services and a plan to make it a great place to stay, to move to and invest in.
Zak Khan (Conservative)
A barrister specialising in corporate governance, Zak Khan was confirmed as the Conservative candidate without any official announcement. Like previous Tory MP Scott Benton and by-election candidate David Jones, he has called for the reinstatement of commercial flights at Blackpool Airport.
He has also pledged to support businesses in the Bond Street and Waterloo Road area after meeting with traders and residents.
Kim Knight (Alliance for Freedom and Democracy)
Kim Knight wants to see the end of two-party domination and has invited anyone who is a “protest voter or a stay-at-home apathetic constituent” to lend her their support.
Her priorities include ensuring people earn enough to own their own homes and removing hurdles which prevent some from finding rented accommodation. Knight also wants to give residents a greater voice and say in the decisions affecting them.
Ben Thomas (Green)
Like all but one of the other candidates, Ben Thomas was a candidate in the recent by-election. Among the youngest candidates in the General Election, he is currently completing a degree at Manchester Metropolitan University and is the youngest ever secretary of Blackpool & Fylde Green Party.
He has spoken of supporting Green Party policies for tackling the housing crisis, climate emergency, and cost of living crisis.
Chris Webb (Labour)
Chris Webb was elected as Blackpool South MP on May 4 and is now standing for re-election. In his few weeks as MP before the election was called, he spoke in Westminster in support of Blackpool rock manufacturers and the town's taxi drivers.
Born and raised in Blackpool, he is a charity volunteer and trustee and former Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner for Lancashire. He has spoken of plans to improve life in Blackpool by addressing dentistry problems, tackling anti-social behaviour and providing more support to small businesses.
Burnley
Gordon Birtwistle (Liberal Democrat)
Gordon Birtwistle has been a Burnley councillor since 1980 and served as the town’s MP from 2010-15. During that time, he was appointed as both a Parliamentary Private Secretary and Government Apprenticeship Ambassador to Business.
After losing his seat in 2015, he stood again in 2017 and 2019 and has said he believes this election is a two-way race between himself and Labour candidate Oliver Ryan. Among his priorities, he wants to see NHS waiting lists cut, housing problems addressed and major improvements made to adult social care.
Mitchell Cryer (Independent)
At 23-years-old, Mitchell Cryer is among the youngest candidates in this General Election. An industrial designer for LP Technology Ltd in Padiham, he has identified priorities including improving air quality, tackling anti-social behaviour, addressing the housing crisis and protecting green spaces.
Cryer has stood in local elections in each of the last four years but has not been elected.
Rayyan Fiass (Independent)
Rayyan Fiass is a 35-year-old businessman who moved to Burnley from Manchester.
Antony Higginbotham (Conservative)
Antony Higginbotham was elected Burnley MP in 2019, becoming the first Conservative to win the seat since 1910. He grew up in Haslingden and onto study law and then began a career in financial services.
He has been involved with the Conservative Party since he was 16 but, like many Tory MPs, has sought to distance himself from the controversies and bad publicity surrounding the national party. Indeed, he has asked people to recognise his own record in attracting investment and to “judge me, not on the actions of anybody else”.
Jack Launer (Green)
Jack Launer was elected to Burnley Council in 2022 and now sits as Executive Member for Housing, Health & Culture and leader of the Green group.
As well as tackling climate issues and social justice, his priorities include helping to take the pressure off the A&E at Royal Blackburn Hospital by bringing "services back into the community". He also wants to boost Burnley’s social housing program and improve the town’s image.
Nathan McCollum (Reform)
A former Conservative councillor on Pendle Borough Council, Nathan McCollum is now standing as a Reform candidate. As well as supporting the party’s stance on issues such as immigration, Net Zero and foreign aid, he has also pledged to tackle anti-social behaviour problems in Burnley.
David Roper (Independent)
A former Liberal Democrat, David Roper quit the party in 2016 and has been independent ever since. He was elected to Burnley Borough Council in 2016 and failed to win election to Lancashire County Council the following year.
In 2020, he made an ambitious bid to be named leader of the council as an independent when no party had overall control but no-one seconded his nomination. He did not stand for re-election at the end of his term at Burnley but stood again this year, finishing fourth out of five candidates.
Oliver Ryan (Labour)
First elected as a councillor in Greater Manchester aged just 19, Oliver Ryan is vying to be named as an MP before he turns 30. The self-confessed political nerd now lives in Burnley and works in Bury.
He lists his priorities as delivering jobs and training for young people; greater investment in housing stock; investment and reform for NHS services; better transport links with Manchester, Preston, Liverpool and Leeds; and getting Burnley a better share of funding from Lancashire County Council.
Hyndburn
Sara Britcliffe (Conservative)
Sara Britcliffe has been Hyndburn and Haslingden MP since 2019 when a huge Labour to Conservative swing saw her elected with a majority of almost 3,000. Since then she has been in roles including Parliamentary Private Secretary, the party's Vice-Chairman for Youth, and its Deputy Chairman for Campaigning and Candidates.
Britcliffe is campaigning on the basis of funding awarded to the constituency in recent years, her own personal record and her connection with the community she grew up in.
Shabir Fazal (Green)
Retired headteacher and former assistant director of education Shabir Fazal OBE became Hyndburn’s only Green Party councillor in May. He believes he can cause another upset this time around and win ahead of the two main parties.
Fazal is standing on a pro-Palestinian platform and has organised coaches to the national peace protests in London as well as speaking at local events in Lancashire. He has done extensive community work and says he wants to see changes in health, education and the cost of living.
Richard John Oakley (Reform)
Oakley has stood for election to Hyndburn Borough Council on four occasions in the last three years, finishing in last place on three occasions and second to last once.
He has lived in the constituency for 30 years and in the 1990s, stood as Conservative candidate in local and county council elections but left the party in the same decade.
He says the two main parties can longer be trusted, criticising the Tories for “allowing uncontrolled mass migration” and claiming “Labour would bankrupt Britain”.
Sarah Smith (Labour)
Sarah Smith is a councillor on Blackpool Council and says her family have long had roots in Hyndburn. She was named candidate as a replacement for previous MP Graeme Jones who has since joined in campaigning for her.
Smith has spent much of her career working as a charity leader, in particular helping children living in poverty. With a three-month-old baby, she also hopes to inspire more women into politics. She has named priorities for Hyndburn including revitalising high streets, reopening youth centres, and improving sixth form provision and housing.
Beth Waller-Slack (Liberal Democrat)
Beth Waller-Slack is standing in her second General Election, having contested Blackburn for the Liberal Democrats in 2019. She has also stood in three local elections in Hyndburn since 2021, finishing last on each occasion.
Thanks you very much for reading this special edition of The Lancashire Lead. I’ll be back tomorrow morning with a regular edition. Please subscribe to receive that and share so others can find it too. As always, your feedback is welcome here and via jamie@thelead.uk.
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