Elections mix up costs young Ukip candidate

A would-be Wigan councillor who could have set a record if elected has missed out on standing this year due to a registration mix-up.
Nathan RydingsNathan Rydings
Nathan Rydings

Teenager Nathan Ryding was all set to stand in Wigan West ward for the UK Independence Party (Ukip) but his name did not appear on the candidate lists released last week.

The Evening Post can reveal that 17-year-old Nathan has fallen foul of election rules that state candidates must be 18 at the time of registration.

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Ukip Wigan had thought that Nathan only needed to turn 18 prior to election day.

The town hall’s rejection of Nathan’s application will come as a major blow to the borough’s growing Ukip following as the youngster has been lauded as a rising star within the party.

If he had topped the polls in Wigan West, the politics student from Springfield could have been the youngest elected representative in Europe but now faces a two year wait as there are no council elections in 2017.

Both Nathan and Ukip Wigan have not responded to invitations to comment further on the mix-up.

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The young party activist told the Evening Post in January the council’s Labour dominated chamber was due a shake-up and Ukip’s policies had appealed to him.

He said: “Before the rise of Ukip I don’t think I agreed with any of the mainstream parties and didn’t fit into a category.

“When Ukip became more prominent and offered the referendum (on membership of the EU) I started to listen and although they were pretty much a one policy party then it has now grown and expanded into what it now is.”

Due to Nathan’s absence Wigan West has just two candidates for next month’s vote with incumbent Coun Terry Halliwell (Labour) up against Conservative Jamie Vickery.

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