New Labour campaign centre in Burnley launched by Shadow Secretary of State Lisa Nandy

Oliver Ryan, Labour’s general election candidate for Burnley, Padiham and Brierfield, was joined by Shadow Secretary of State and Labour MP for Wigan Lisa Nandy for the formal opening of the shop front office in Manchester Road.

The three storey building, formally Petty Real Estate Agents, is opposite the Big Window pub at 26 Manchester Road, close to Burnley Town Hall.

The shop front has been rebranded as a ‘campaign centre’ by Mr Ryan, who got stuck in and painted much of the inside himself, with the help of volunteers. The Labour Party has not had a shop front presence in the town since Burnley voted Conservative by a small margin in 2019 and elected its first ever Conservative MP.

Over 70 volunteers, members and activists from across Burnley, Padiham and further afield joined Ms Nandy and Mr Ryan for the opening, ribbon cutting and day of door knocking activity across the constituency.

On cutting the ribbon and opening the office, Miss Nandy said: “I'm here for our brilliant candidate, my friend Oliver Ryan. I've known him a long time and know he understands the challenges towns like Burnley and Padiham face, he knows poverty as well as the real struggle and aspiration for better. He’s spent years fighting for better services, decent housing and investment and he has the real world experience we need in Parliament.”

Mr Ryan said: “After 14 years of the Tories, it’s time for change, people should take a fresh look at Labour. Our Conservative MP has failed this town. For me it’s about getting NHS services working, getting police back on our streets, getting more money in people's pockets and getting better for our town than the scraps we've had. I'm so glad we've got a proper office again.”

Labour Group Leader on Burnley Council, Coun. Mark Townsend, who also spoke, added: “On May 2nd we have elections across Burnley and we need Labour voters to get out and support us. We have a Tory MP, a Tory County Council, a Tory Government and a borough council run by an independent group that just votes with the Tories. We need change.”