READERS will be able to follow live coverage of the general election results in Leigh and Atherton tonight.

The Journal team will be producing a live blog - containing text, pictures, video and graphics - from Thursday night when the polls close, through to the early hours of Friday morning when the results come in.

We'll be describing to you the atmosphere from the Leigh venue where the count is taking place and - with support from Newsquest's national team, PA and reporters at our sister titles - we'll be looking at how the regional and national picture is unfolding.

The newly formed Leigh and Atherton constituency was formerly known as one of the safest Labour seats across the country, as the party retained the seat for almost a century until 2019 when James Grundy was elected as Leigh's first-ever Conservative MP.

With James Grundy announcing that he will not stand in the upcoming election, opinion polls have pointed to Labour regaining the seat in Leigh and Atherton.

But it is polling day that counts and the Journal team will be on hand to report on the results as they are announced in the early hours of Friday morning.

List of candidates for the 2024 general election in Leigh and Atherton

  • Labour: Jo Platt
  • Conservative: Michael Winstanley
  • Liberal Democrats: Stuart Thomas
  • Green: Amelia Jones
  • Reform: George Woodward
  • English Democrats: Craig Buckley