Candidate needed in Southport
Mark Bigley has today resigned his fast-tracked candidacy for Southport:
"It is clear that my main considerations must be to my family, and the people of Ainsdale who have given me their support. It is with great sadness that I therefore have taken the very hard decision to stand down as the Parliamentary Candidate at the next General Election. This decision will enable the Party sufficient time to find a new candidate with the time available to dedicate to this extremely important role. This decision will also enable me to continue to represent the people of Ainsdale to the best of my ability on Sefton Council."
Southport is one of the only seats in Merseyside that could feasibly turn blue at the next election although LibDem MP John Pugh held it against Bigley with an extra 1000 votes last time around,
Deputy Editor
Why? What on earth?
Posted by: Anon | May 11, 2007 at 14:40
The north west had 3 fast tracked candidates. The one in Westmoreland and Lonsdale, the one in Chester and Mark Bigley. All three have now gone.
Posted by: Anon | May 11, 2007 at 14:47
If you count the Wirral as Merseyside (controversial, I know) there are four Conservative target seats there (Southport, Sefton Central, Wirral West and Wirral South) plus a fifth (Wallasey) which could come into play, especially given the fantastic local election results there.
Posted by: Cllr Iain Lindley | May 11, 2007 at 15:24
Why has he resigned- seems very sudden, and not very helpful to our cause...
Posted by: Chris Heathcote | May 11, 2007 at 15:40
Sorry to hear that. Mark could have taken the seat in 2005 with a bit more support from CCO.
Posted by: Paul Oakley | May 11, 2007 at 15:54
The Wirral seats weren't fast-tracked immediately following the last election though.
As Anon says, all those in the Merseyside area that did have now lost their candidates.
PS) The local results in Wirral West and South were dreadful.
Posted by: Steve | May 11, 2007 at 16:53
Lorraine Fulbrook in Ribble South was also fast tracked and she continues to go from strength to strength.
Posted by: James | May 11, 2007 at 17:23
Apologies yes Lorraine was fast tracked but for the north west region to lose three of its four 'early stars' is hardly a good thing for the new northern board.
Westmoreland and Londsadale had a bad May 3rd.
Southport on Sefton gave ground to the Lib Dems.
Chester and South Ribble had fantastic nights.
Wirral's PPC's were not fast tracked but they had a bad local elections down mainly I suspect to bad all year round organisation.
Posted by: Anon | May 11, 2007 at 18:41
The neighbouring seat to Southport is the old Crosby seat-now Sefton Central. Cllr Debi Jones sits as a councillor with Mark and was the Crosby candidate in 2005 who was reselected for the same seat (now Sefton Central) back in August and her campaign is going from strength to strength.
The main problem up in the Sefton Council area is the Liberal Democrats(Unless you count the Bootle constituency which is Labours safest seat in the country). Both Mark and Debi and their respective Associations have seemingly run brilliant campaigns to do all they can, and there was little change in the last elections.
According to electoralcalculus.co.uk they do predict that Debi will win the new seat of Sefton Central with a majority of 1.86%
Posted by: TN1487 | May 11, 2007 at 20:00
We have not lost all of our seats in Merseyside, We still have the very hardworking Debi Jones who was reselected for the new seat of Sefton Central-previously Crosby-that she stood for in 2005.
Posted by: wendyskel | May 11, 2007 at 21:02
True Wendy although as you probably know it was decided not to fast-track Debi, she was selected at an open primary instead. She's absolutely fantastic, so much so it seems Clare Curtis-Thomas tried to take over from Joe Benton in Bootle!
Posted by: Deputy Editor | May 11, 2007 at 23:07
If any seat on Merseys...Sefton is to go Conservtive, it would be Southport before Sefton Central. I'd consider it of the highest importance for the local association to choose a candidate as soon as possible.
Posted by: Preston | May 12, 2007 at 09:39
As a fellow PPC I sympathise with Mark Bigley.
I have made a longer comment on my weblog today about the strains and pains of being a PPC if anyone is interested:
www.marcuswood.blogpsot.com
Posted by: Marcus Wood | May 12, 2007 at 16:01
I have read with interest the comments made by several people, who have forgotten one thing. Mark was a good candidate that this Party needs.
I hope that senior members of the party speak to Mark to find out why he has stood down.
We have all been losers here sadly.
I wish Mark all the best and hope he puts himself forward at a later date for a winnable seat, if not in this parliament.
Posted by: Brian Moore | May 12, 2007 at 20:05