Ukip election candidates promise to listen and focus on grass-roots issues

The Eurosceptic party is standing an impressive slate of 21 hopefuls who want to secure a place in the council chamber.

Ukip says it is concentrating on grass-roots politics for the election, with its candidates hoping to win voters over with policies on issues such as fly-tipping, the three-weekly black bin collection that was widely opposed when introduced by Wigan Council and the state of the borough’s roads.

The party promises to listen closely to what people in the borough say and has stressed it will not use any whipping system to force councillors who may be elected to toe a single line.

Candidate for Wigan West and Ukip’s youth affairs spokesman Nathan Ryding said: “Ukip offer far better representation when it comes to our local councillors and this is because both main parties, Labour and the Conservatives, whip their councillors to vote certain ways, even if it goes against the wishes of the residents of Wigan.

“Ukip does not whip its councillors and would always put the interests of the people above party politics.

“A lot of people are starting to realise that Labour only bother with the people or promote certain policies or changes when it comes to election time, for the rest of the year, they’re absent.

“Ukip in Wigan are constantly working in the best interests of the people, this is before we even have any councillors.”

Mr Ryding said the party was working to tackle fly-tipping in the borough, a problem he described as “horrendous” and accused Labour of neglecting.

Ukip is also standing on a manifesto of bringing back fortnightly collections for the black bins, saying it will take into account what it describes as “overwhelming” opposition among residents to the current three-weekly cycle.

It also wants to ensure potholes on the borough’s roads get fixed straight away.

Mr Ryding said: “Drivers pay tax to ensure they can drive on appropriate roads, not to have the possibility of damaging their vehicle due to inadequate road conditions.”

The full list of Ukip candidates for the 2019 local elections is: Wigan West - Nathan Ryding, Ince - Nathan McIntyre, Pemberton - Craig Buckley, Shevington - Derek Wilkes, Douglas - Dalila Fearn, Standish - Carl Davies, Abram - Frank Swift, Ashton - Mark Templeton, Bryn - Phil Hayden, Hindley Green - Gill Gibson, Winstanley - Scott Sheedy, Worsley Mesnes - Maureen McCoy, Atherton - Glenn Marsh, Astley Mosley Common - Allan Hogg, Atherleigh - Mary T. Lavelle, Golborne Lowton West - Stuart K. Blakeley, Leigh East - Aiden J. Slack, Leigh South - Leon A. Peters, Leigh West - Brian Aspinall, Lowton East - Mary P. Houghton, Tyldesley - Kerry A. Ford.

The local elections are on May 2.

The full list of candidates is now out and can be viewed at https://wigan.gov.uk/Docs/PDF/Council/Voting-and-Elections/Statement-Of-Persons-Nominated-May-2019-Local-Election.pdf