Pledges from candidates looking to be elected in Leigh and Atherton

With Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announcing that the country will go to the polls on Thursday, July 4, candidates across the borough have been vying for support after kicking off their campaign trails.

As the town's current MP James Grundy previously announced that he will not stand in the upcoming election, the six candidates looking to represent Leigh and Atherton in the Houses of Parliament was confirmed last week.

Here we will look a little closer at each candidate and their party pledges.

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Labour

Labour's candidate for Leigh and Atherton, Jo Platt (Image: Jo Platt)
Labour's candidate for the Leigh and Atherton seat is Jo Platt, who served as Leigh's MP between 2017 and 2019.

Jo Platt also served as a councillor in the Astley Mosley Common ward between 2012 and 2017, and has since worked as the General Manager of Leigh Spinners Mill.

Pledges:

• Tackle the cost of living crisis and help to reduce bills with 'Great British Energy', a publicly-owned clean power company
• Fight for better public services and tackle anti-social behaviour
• Seek further investment to improve towns like Leigh and Atherton
• Improve infrastructure for more secure and affordable homes
• Support and champion the people and groups who make a positive difference to our community
• Cut down NHS waiting times

Conservatives

Michael Winstanley at the Pete Shelley memorial in Leigh (Image: Michael Winstanley)
Michael Winstanley has served as a Conservative councillor in Orrell from 2000 to 2011 and again in 2016 to 2022.

He has also served as the leader of the Wigan, Leigh and Makerfield Conservatives, the Vice President of the National Conservative Convention, the mayor of Wigan Borough, and a Governor at a local school and Academy.

Pledges: 

• To see Golborne station finally delivered
• Improve public transport, including the completion of the Atherleigh Bypass
• Regenerate town centres with further Levelling Up money
• Create 100,000 more apprenticeships across the country
• Create a 'new and improved' Help to Buy scheme and abolish stamp duty for first time buyers
• To 'stand up' to the Labour controlled council and achieve a 'fair deal' for Leigh and Atherton

Liberal Democrats

Stuart Thomas (second from right) is the local Lib Dem candidate (Image: Wigan, Leigh, and Makerfield Liberal Democrats)
Stuart Thomas is the Liberal Democrats' candidate for Leigh and Atherton, who has previously campaigned to become a councillor in Wigan and Astley Mosley Common.

Pledges:

• End the sewage dumping scandal that has 'plagued our waterways' and push for stringent environmental regulations
• Fight for a 'fair deal' for the NHS, including improved funding and resources, and advocating for increased investment in hospitals and medical facilities
• Campaign for better access to GP and dental service,  and fight for more healthcare professionals to reduce waiting times and improve care
• Launch an ambitious industrial strategy and champion investment across the country, including in the 'Northern Powerhouse'

Reform

George Woodward is the local Reform candidate (Image: George Woodward)
George Woodward is the Reform candidate for Leigh and Atherton, a party which was formerly known as the Brexit Party

Pledges:

• Freeze immigration to net zero
• 'Zero tolerance' to illegal migration
• Crack down on crime and get more bobbies on the beat
• Fund more frontline staff in the NHS
• Raise the tax threshold to £20k and the 40% threshold to £70k

Green Party

Amelia Jones is the Green Party candidate for Leigh and Atherton

Pledges:

• Build 150,000 new council homes and end the Right to Buy scheme
• Stop 'cosying up to the fossil fuel lobby' and ensure we are hitting climate target commitments
• Reverse the 'creeping privatisation' of the NHS and improve the healthcare system through a 'fair tax system'
• Protect water quality
• Reform our commitment with NATO

English Democrats

Craig Buckley is the Leigh and Atherton candidate for the English Democrats party, which was established in 2002

Pledges:

• Campaign for an independent England outside of the UK
• Use the private sector to assist with public services
• Greater local government involvement in transport planning 
• 'Points system' entry requirement for immigration