Election in Hyndburn
Election in Hyndburn
The date is set, and the gloves are well and truly off. The General Election will take place on 6th May 2010. 
Whatever the result of voting in Hyndburn, we will definitely have a new MP as Greg Pope has decided not to seek re-election this time. He has held the seat for eighteen years. He cites family reasons for wishing to stand down, and denies that the expenses scandal has any bearing on the decision.
Hyndburn voters have plenty of choice this time around, as eight candidates are lining up. Current holders of the seat, Labour are placing their faith in local man, Graham Jones, who is currently leader of the Labour group on Hyndburn council. The full line-up is:
Graham Jones, Labour
Karen Buckley, Conservative
Andrew Rankine, Liberal Democrat
Kevin Logan, Christian Peoples Alliance
Granville Barker, UKIP
Kerry Gormley, Green Party
Andrew Eccles, BNP
Chris Reid, The English Democrats.
The large field of candidates has probably a lot to do with the general disenchantment and mistrust many people feel for MPs at the moment. The expenses scandal was very damaging to the reputation of our elected representatives.
The borough of Hyndburn was created in 1983 when the boundaries were changed and is made up of parts of the former Accrington and Clitheroe seats. Since then it has only had two MPs: Ken Hargreaves turned the seat briefly blue until Greg Pope won it for Labour in 1992. Like most of its neighbours, Hyndburn is a target seat for the Conservatives, who would need a swing of nearly 7% to secure the prize this time.
Barbara Fitzhugh
