Five stake their claim to be next Pendle MP

Conservative Andrew Stephenson, will be hoping to hold on to the seat he has held since 2010.

Mr Stepehenson was elected in 2010 and again in 2015 when he solidified his position, garnering 20,978 votes and more than a 5,000 majority.

All of the other four candidates are new faces from the last General Election two years ago, with Labour again expected to be the nearest challenger.

Pendle borough councillor Wayne Blackburn is the man hoping to win the seat for Labour.

Coun. Blackburn, who has represented the Clover Hill ward for the last two years, is a disability and mental health campaigner, who only entered politics in recent years when he protested about Conservative plans for the so-called bedroom tax.

Alongside his council work he is also a constituency case worker for Kate Green, Labour MP for Stretford and Urmston.

The Liberal Democrats have put forward party stalwart Gordon Lishman CBE. Briercliffe resident Mr Lishman, a former Director General of Age Concern England, has stood unsuccessfully twice before in Pendle, in 1983 and 1987.

Pendle borough councillor Brian Parker, who represents Marsden ward, is the British National Party candidate, while the Green party have put forward Ian Barnett.

The nation goes to the polls on June 8th.