Independents on the vote trail

A group of opposition activists has been hitting the local election campaign trail and spoke of trying to convince voters to give them a chance.
Independent Network candidates and supporters on the campaign trailIndependent Network candidates and supporters on the campaign trail
Independent Network candidates and supporters on the campaign trail

The Independent Network is standing five candidates in the vote on May 2 for places in the council chamber and has been pounding the streets to deliver its message.

The group is hoping to secure a clean sweep of the Atherton seats by getting James Paul Watson elected alongside its two current councillors.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Long-time local activists Jim Ellis and Michael Moulding are standing in Hindley and Ashton respectively while Deborah Lloyd is standing in Hindley Green and Kevin Lee hopes to win a seat in Atherleigh.

The group’s nominations officer and election agent Norman Bradbury, himself a former opposition councillor, says with the current state of the Brexit negotiations and plummeting faith in major parties there is a battle to convince voters to get to the polling stations.

Mr Bradbury said: “The reaction on the doorstep in all the wards has been overwhelming, with most residents expressing their disgust with the two main parties’ inability to resolve Brexit.

“When our candidates explained that they were totally independent, they had no hesitation in saying that the Independent Network candidate would get their vote.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“The main obstacle to returning our candidates is voter apathy in wards such as Atherleigh where they have had nothing but Labour councillors, they don’t think that they will ever make a difference, and stay at home.”

To see who is standing in all 25 wards of the local election click here or view the Statement of Persons Nominated on Wigan Council’s official website.

Related topics: