More questions than answers over suspended candidate; new devolution delays
The Lancashire Lead - May 29, 2024
It’s barely a week into the General Election campaign and we’ve already seen the prospect of National Service and a party leader fall into Windermere. Keir Starmer has made a visit to Leyland and David Cameron joined Tory members in Hyndburn and Haslingden as campaigning has ramped up across Lancashire.
As reported previously in The Lancashire Lead, we now know all but two of the county’s current MPs intend to fight for their seats (Ben Wallace and Mark Menzies will not) - but what of their opponents? Well, the biggest question remains who Labour will pick in Hyndburn.
Former MP Graham Jones had been announced as the candidate to win the seat back from the Conservative’s Sara Britcliffe but was then suspended in February over comments made about Israel. That suspension was lifted yesterday but when it comes to his potential candidacy, the silence is deafening.
After he revealed the update, I spoke with Graham but he refused to discuss any next steps, simply saying he was “traumatised by everything that’s happened”. Labour, meanwhile, are saying even less. A party source confirmed the suspension was over but a spokesperson would not discuss Jones or whether he could stand.
The party insists a candidate will be selected in the coming days and I’ll keep pushing for answers. The Hyndburn Lead will keep you informed - sign up here.
Elsewhere, a Burnley councillor has been chosen as the Conservatives’ Blackburn candidate and there are rumours that recently departed Police and Crime Commissioner Andrew Snowden could stand in Fylde.
Meanwhile the aforementioned Ben Wallace has caused a fair bit of upset for commenting “heaven forbid young people are made to do something……” in relation to the national service plans. For me though, this retweet was far more of an eye-opener on his attitude to the proposal:
Another consequence of the General Election announcement is that the legislation needed to make Lancashire’s devolution deal a reality has not been progressed. As a result, the next Government will have to decide whether to take it forward or we could end up pushed back yet again - given the unhappiness of lower-authority councils, it feels entirely plausible the deal could be revisited.
Local democracy reporter Paul Faulkner has taken a closer look at the issue here.
“Given the appetite for the deal from Lancashire businesses and institutions, we would expect the next government to move the deal on as a matter of urgency”
Blackburn with Darwen council leader Phil Riley
🚨 The Lancashire teenager arrested in connection with a fatal stabbing on Bournemouth beach has been released without charge (Lancashire Telegraph).
💣 Homes in St Anne’s had to be evacuated when an unexploded bomb was discovered (Blackpool Gazette).
🤢 The Environment Agency has been accused of “hiding” the findings of its investigation into the Fleetwood landfill whose stench has caused misery for neighbours (The i, £).
🌊 Dozens of people - including a baby and two toddlers - had to be rescued when the tide cut them off at Morecambe Bay (LancsLive).
🧑⚖️ A Preston man has been jailed for six years after conning victims including friends and family out of £19m (Blog Preston).
🎢 Members of the Morecambe community will play a role in forming plans to develop the former Frontierland site (NW Evening Mail).
🖌️ Another huge graffiti sign has been made mocking outgoing Fylde MP Mark Menzies (LancsLive).
🌳 Campaigners in the Rossendale Valley say they feel powerless to stop damage to the environment as a housing development looms (LancsLive).
🇺🇸 An Ormskirk-based eCommerce firm is launching an advertising campaign in the USA as it targets customers ahead of hurricane season (Prolific North).
And finally, a message from The Lead’s Westminster editor Zoë Grünewald:
The election campaign has begun! Have you seen - or heard - anything unusual in your local area? Candidates behaving badly? Funny - or possibly ridiculous - leaflets? Disgruntled voters? Send any gossip, tips or reflections on the general election in your local area to me, Zoe Grunewald at zoe@thelead.uk. I’d love to hear from you!
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