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Residents in the Fylde constituency are being given the chance to put the area’s prospective MPs on the spot ahead of the general election.
The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) is co-hosting a hustings event this coming weekend – a chance for you to hear from the candidates vying for your vote, all seven of whom have been invited to take part.
It will be staged at The Lowther Pavilion in Lytham on Sunday 30th June, between 5.30pm and around 7pm (doors open at 5pm).
If you would like to attend and ask a question on local or national issues, you need to register via this link – https://forms.gle/F1FjCbz4nHPqoug48. Places are limited and allocated on a first-come-first-served basis.
If you can’t make it in person, you can still put a poser to the people who want to represent you in Parliament. Just keep an eye on the Facebook and X/Twitter pages of the media titles that have teamed up to host the gathering – the Blackpool Gazette, Lancashire Lead, Lytham St. Annes Express and Blog Preston – in the coming days, where you will be able to submit your questions.
A flavour of the answers – and a video of the full debate, hosted by local democracy reporter Paul Faulkner – will be available in LDRS coverage of the hustings early next week.
The organisers of the event are encouraging voters to get involved – regardless of whether or not they have made up their minds about where they will be placing their cross at next month’s poll.
The Blackpool Gazette’s digital editor Vanessa Sims said: “It’s great to be teaming up with the Lancashire Lead on an event that will give the people of Fylde the opportunity to hear directly what candidates think on the issues important to them ahead of the election.
“This is your chance to hear first hand what their priorities will be if they get elected.”
Luke Beardsworth, senior editor (North) for The Lead, said the hustings will help residents make sense of an election “that came sooner than many of us expected”.
“Anything that can help people feel empowered by the process of democracy – and to make an informed decision on who to give their vote – is a really important step.
“Plenty of people will consider their mind made up on who they vote for – and plenty won’t. Either way, this will be the best chance to make up your mind on who deserves your vote on 4th July.”
Meanwhile, founder of Blog Preston CIC and co-editor, Ed Walker, added: “The level of debate online about elections can be increasingly hostile, so it’s important people have a safe, moderated and fair space to hear directly from candidates.
“We are glad to be working with the Post and The Lead to put on this event to ensure candidates are asked the tough questions and see how they fare when faced with real people asking about real issues.”
Am I in the Fylde constituency?
The Fylde constituency is largely – but not wholly – equivalent to the Fylde Council area.
Boundary changes mean the Breck, Hardhorn with High Cross and Tithebarn wards in the Wyre Council patch will join Fylde from the axed Wyre and Preston North constituency.
Also, the parts of the Ingol and Cottam and Lea and Larches wards in the Preston City Council area, which previously sat in Fylde, have now moved into the Preston seat.
Who can I vote for?
The full list of candidates standing in the Fylde constituency at the general election on 4th July is:
Anne Aitken – Independent
Tom Calver – Labour Party
Mark Jewell – Liberal Democrats
Cheryl Morrison – Alliance for Democracy and Freedom
Andrew Snowden – Conservative Party
Brenden Wilkinson – Green Party
Brook Wimbury – Reform UK
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