North West Euros
The North West European region covers Cumbria, Lancashire, Merseyside, Greater Manchester and Cheshire. It currently returns 9 members of the European Parliament, but this will reduce to 8 at the 2009 election, meaning the Liberal Democrats notionally lose an MEP. In 2004 the region returned 3 Conservative MEPs, 3 Labour MEPs, 2 Lib Dems MEPs and 1 UKIP MEP, although Saj Karim subsequently defected to the Conservatives.
Sitting MEPs and 2004 Results
| 1. |  |
Gary Titley (Labour) | 576,388 (27.4%) | (Will stand down at next election) |
| 2. | |
Den Dover (Independent) | 509,446 (24.2%) | (Orginally elected as a Conservative) |
| 3. |  |
Chris Davies (Liberal Democrat) | 335,063 (15.9%) | |
| 4. |  |
Arlene McCarthy (Labour) | (288,194) | |
| 5. |  |
John Whittaker (UKIP) | 257,158 (11.7%) | (Will stand down at the next election) |
| 6. | |
David Sumberg (Conservative) | (254,723) | (Will stand down at the next election) |
| 7. |  |
Brian Simpson (Labour) | (192,129) | (Replaced Terry Wynn 2006) |
| 8. |  |
Robert Atkins (Conservative) | (169,815) | |
| 9. |  |
Saj Karim (Conservative) | (167,532) | (Originally elected as a Lib Dem) |
| -. | BNP | 134,959 (6.4%) | ||
| -. | Green | 117,393 (5.6%) | ||
| -. | Liberal | 96,325 (4.6%) | ||
| -. | English Democrats | 34,110 (1.6%) | ||
| -. | Respect | 24,636 (1.2%) | ||
| -. | Countryside | 11,283 (0.5%) | ||
| -. | Pro Life | 10,084 (0.5%) | ||
| -. | Ronald Neal (Independent) | 8,318 (0.4%) |
2009 Candidates
| 1. | Arlene McCarthy. Sitting MEP. Born 1960, Belfast. Formerly a European liasion officer for Kirkless council. MEP since 1994. |
| 2. | Brian Simpson. Sitting MEP. Born 1953, Leigh. Former PE teacher. Former Warrington councillor and Merseyside county councillor. MEP for Cheshire East 1989-1999, MEP for North-West 1999-2004 when he lost his seat. He returned to the European Parliament in 2006 following the resignation of Terry Wynn. |
| 3. |  Theresa Griffin. Contested North West 1999 and 2004 European elections. |
| 4. |  Steve Carter. Born Merseyside. Educated at Manchester University. Teacher. Former Macclesfield councillor. Contested Macclesfield 2001, 2005. |
| 5. |  Claire Reynolds. |
| 6. |  Riaz Ahmed. |
| 7. | Elaine Bowes. |
| 8. |  Brian Boag. |
| 1. | Sir Robert Atkins Sitting MEP. Born 1946, London. Educated at Highgate School. MP for Preston North 1979-1983, South Ribble from 1983-1997. Knighted in 1997. MEP for North West England since 1999. Minister of Transport 1989-1990, Minister of Sport 1990-1992, Minister of State at Northern Ireland Office 1992-1994, Minister of State, Environment 1994-1995. |
| 2. | Sajjid Karim Born 1970, Blackburn. Solicitor. Pendle councillor 1994-2001 for the Liberal Democrats. MEP for North West England since 2004, orginally elected as a Liberal Democrat he defected to the Conservatives in 2007. |
| 3. |  Jacqueline Foster Born 1947, Liverpool. Educated at Prescot Girls Grammar. Aviation consultant and former air hostess. Contested Newham South 1992, Peterborough 1997. MEP for the North West 1999-2004. |
| 4. |  Alex Williams. Chartered accountant. Trafford councillor. Contested Bury South 2005. |
| 5. |  Gregory Morgan Born Bolton. Educated at University of Central Lancashire. Former RAF engineering officer. Chorley councillor since 2005. |
| 6. | Anthony Samuels. |
| 7. | Peter Wilding. |
| 8. | Andrew Large. |
| 1. | Chris Davies Sitting MEP. Born 1954, Lytham St Annes. Educated at Cheadle Hulme School and Cambridge University. MP for Littleborough and Saddleworth 1995-1997. Contested Oldham East and Saddleworth 1997. MEP for the North West since 1999. Former leader of the Liberal Democrat group in the European Parliament, he stepped down in 2008 after being criticised over a reply to a constituent that accused her of racism. Fined for possession of cannabis in 2002. |
| 2. |  Helen Foster-Grime Former company director. Stockport councillor. |
| 3. |  Sue McGuire. Sefton councillor. |
| 4. |  Qassim Afzal Born 1960, Mancester. Educated at Salford University. Former Manchester councillor. Contested Birmingham Sparkbrook and Small Heath 2001, Manchester Gorton 2005. |
| 5. |  Neil Corlett Born 1966, Bebington. Educated at Calday Grammar and Reading University. Head of press and former policy advisor for the ADLE group in the European Parliament. Contested North West region in 2004. |
| 6. |  Mark Clayton Manchester councillor 1996-2004 and since 2006. |
| 7. |  Stephen Cooke. Student at Manchester University. Salford councillor. Will contest Stretford and Urmston at next election. |
| 8. |  Peter Hirst. Locum consultant physician. Former Congleton councillor. Contested Stroud 2005. Will contest Congleton at next election. |
| 1. |  Paul Nuttall Former university lecturer. Assistant to John Whittaker MEP. Contested Bootle 2005. Will contest Bootle at next election. |
| 2. |  Michael McManus Contested Stretford and Urmston in 2005. |
| 3. |  Graham Cannon Educated at Nottingham University. Founder and Director of a geotechnical land investigation company. Contested Pendle 2005. Will contest Ribble Valley at next general election. |
| 4. | Nigel Brown. Will contest Morecambe and Lunesdale at next election. |
| 5. |  Hilary Jones Formerly a Conservative councillor on Wirral council, left the party after her husband Laurence Jones was deselected as Conservative candidate for Wirral South prior to the 2005 election. Her husband contested Wirral South as an independent in 2005, taking 460 votes. Will contest Liverpool West Derby at next election. |
| 6. |  Phillip Griffiths Contested Wallasey 2005. Will contest Wirral West at next election. |
| 7. | Terry Durrance Contested Southport 2005. Will contest Southport at next election. |
| 8. | Lisa Duffy. |
| 1. |  Peter Cranie Works for a parenting support charity. Contested Liverpool Riverside 2005. |
| 2. |  Maia Whitelegg Educated at Heysham High School and University of Leon, Spain. Lancaster councillor. |
| 3. |  Ruth Bergan Project manager. |
| 4. |  Samir Chatterjee Contested Rochdale 2005. |
| 5. |  Jill Perry |
| 6. |  Justine Hall Student at Manchester University. Will contest Manchester Gorton at the next general election. |
| 7. |  Margaret Westbrook |
| 8. | Geoff Smith |
| 1. |  Nick Griffin Born 1959, London. Educated at Woodbridge School and Cambridge University. Chairman of the BNP. Former publicity officer and Parliamentary candidate for the National Front before leaving the party in 1989. Joined the BNP in 1995 and edited BNP magazines Spearhead and The Rune. In 1998 he was prosecuted for incitement to racial hatred in reation to an issue of The Rune that denied the holocaust. He was again arrested for incitement to racial hatred in 2004 in relation to a speech he made criticising Islam which was recorded by the BBC, he was subsequently found not guilty at trial. Chairman of the BNP since 1999 he has persued a strategy of giving the BNP a less overtly racist and extremist image. Contested North West Region 2004 European elections. Contested South Wales West in 2007 Welsh assembly elections. Contested Croydon North-West by-election 1981, Croydon North-West 1983 for the National Front. West Bromwich West by-election 2000, Oldham West & Royton 2001, Keighley 2005 for the BNP. |
| 2. |  Martin Wingfield Born 1951. Former member of the National Front and editor of their newspaper, The Flag. Convicted under the Race Relations Act in 1984 and imprisoned after refusing to pay a fine. Joined the BNP in 2001 and has subsequently edited their party newspaper, Freedom. Contested Worthing 1983 for the National Front. Contested North West England in 2004 European elections. |
| 3. |  Steve Greenhalgh |
| 4. |  Edward O’Sullivan. Former army technician, now running a driving school. |
| 5. |  Jean Purdy Born 1935, Oldham. Retired nurse. |
| 6. |  Michael Elliott Estate agent. |
| 7. |  Derek Adams Publican, formerly ran a plant hire company. Contested Rochdale 2005. |
| 8. |  Gary Aronnson Contested Heywood and Middleton 2005. |
| 1. |  Ed Abrams Contested Hartlepool by-election 2004, Chester 2005. |
| 2. |  Stephen Morris |
| 3. |  Robert Logan Former Conservative. |
| 4. |  Derek Grue Born Merseyside. Works in the construction industry. |
| 5. | Anthony Justice. |
| 6. | Maurice Brookes Former Liberal Democrat. |
| 7. |  Valerie Morris |
| 8. |  Ken Walters Born Ormskirk. Abstract digital artist. |
| 1. |  Roger Bannister Member of the Socialist Party. Candindate for general secretary of UNISON in 2004. |
| 2. |  Les Skarratts Member of the FBU executive committee. |
| 3. |  Craig Johnston Former train guard. Member of the RMT executive. Former Carlisle councillor for Labour. |
| 4. |  Alexander McFadden President of Merseyside TUC. |
| 5. |  Steve Radford Born 1957. Member of the Liberal Party. Liverpool councillor. Leader of the Liberal Party 2005-2009. Contested Liverpool West Derby 1997, 2001, 2005. |
| 6. |  Lynn Worthington |
| 7. | John Metcalfe Former Carlisle councillor for Labour. |
| 8. | Harry Smith Former Liverpool councillor for Labour. |
| 1. |  Billy Kelly |
| 2. | Stephen Whatham Contested Knowsley North and Sefton East 2005. |
| 3. | Kai Andersen |
| 4. | Ronald Waugh Contested Knowsley North and Sefton East 2001. |
| 5. | Dot Kelly |
| 6. | Lynton Bennett |
| 7. | Dot Entwistle |
| 8. | Michael Perry |
| 1. |  Krishnamurty Tayya Born India. Retired, formerly worked for the DSS. |
| 2. |  Graham Ross Retired solicitor and practicising mediator. |
| 3. | Carl Birchall Warehouse manager. |
| 4. |  William Brotherston Born Edinburgh. Educated at Leith Academy and Napier Technical College. Retired engineer. |
| 5. |  Mary Strickland Retired |
| 6. |  Michael Hale Educated at Nantwich and Acton Grammar School. Financial broker. |
| 1. | Hans-Christian Raabe GP |
| 2. | Jill McLachlan Contested Cities of London and Westminster 2005. |
| 3. |  John Manwell |
| 4. | Maria Overend |
| 5. | Clive Morrison |
| 6. | Bob Ralph |
| 7. | Carol Jules |
| 8. | David Martin |
| 1. | Benjamin Tallis Freelance journalist and political analyst. Resigned from Libertas and endorsed the Green party on the 22nd May, after the close of nominations, saying he would not take up a seat on behalf of Libertas if elected. |
| 2. |  Anthony Butcher Contested Woodspring 2005 for UKIP. |
| 3. | Paul Debrowa |
| 4. | William Westall |
| 5. | Liam Hemmings |
| 6. | John Humberstone Independent councillor on Wrexham council until 2008. |
| 7. | Michael O’Reilly |
There is also one independent candidate standing:
Francis Apaloo (Independent) GP.
NB - The constituency guide is now archived and is no longer being updated. The new guide is at http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/2015guide
Benjamin – I am in Preston, and I can tell you, there is no Green strength at all. Their candidates have always been paper candidates from Lancaster.
I suppose the Greens may benefit in Preston more than in most other places from the endoresement of Respect, since that was where Respect did best last time but I imagine that vote will scatter fairly widely and isnt that significant even in Preston. Respect got 6% in Preston in 2004 – the Greens got 4.7% which was well below the regional average
Just to reinforce the point, while there are county council elections in Cumbria and Lancashire, there are no local elections in Merseyside, Gtr Manchester and Cheshire, so there will be differential turnout as between the northern and southern parts of this region.
If the Green strength is concentrated in Lancaster (and this was the only place they made double digits in 2004) plus Manchester (8%), then they will not egt the 8-9% needed to win a seat here.
Last NW by election before JUne 4th
Labour 606
Lib Dem 293
BNP 276
Con 189
Green 125
UKIP 123
turnout 17.5%
Big Winner- apathy
JimPage
You need to provide context (which the Beeb singularly failed to do when reproting this fantastic Labour victory in Hazel Blear’s seat).
Firstly, Turnout: Was 1,744 votes at the full council election in May 2008. Total at by-election was 1,612 , so down by only 133 votes. Apathy was not any more in evidence than at full council election.
What is more interetsing is how the share of vote compared to last time (May 08):
Lab: 50.9% to 37.6% – down 13.3%
LD: 19.3% to 18.2% – down 1.1%
Con: 16.4% to 11.7% – down 4.7%
BNP: 13.4% to 17.1% – UP 3.7%
Green: n/a to 7.8%
UKIP: n/a to 7.6%
So, all 3 main parties down, all three minor parties up.
Note that the UKIP vote is larger than the decline in Con vote (both in % and absolute terms).
Green vote appears to have been mainly at Lab rather than LD expense.
In fact BNP and Green votes both seem to be at Labour expense – no surprises really!
Sorry for mistake re Preston – I was sure I’d been told they were doing ok there – possibly by an overpanicky local activist who sees a leaflet go through the door and assumes that means they have support!
As a Green Party activist who has been out on the street I’d say we’ll get about the 8% seen in this recent by-election at the Euro’s. Probably about the same for BNP and a bit more for UKIP.
The NW seat 8 is going to be the closest in the whole country I think o.0
The problem the Greens have here is they start from a fairly low base last time and are fighting other left wing parties for the same ground which will inevitably eat into their vote. 5% is the best they can really aim for in the NW.
If they do eat into the Labour vote more than I expect the result will be an almost certain seat for the BNP not one for themselves I fear.
Its going to be very interesting to see if UKIP can hold onto their seat in the region. A few weeks ago I would not have thought so but with the collapse of the two main parties votes and the failure of Libertas to gain any media coverage I think this becomes very possible.
Final Prediction:
Conservatives – 3
Labour – 2
Libdems – 1
UKIP – 1
BNP – 1
The Conservatives will edge seat no. 8 ahead of Libdems(2), with the Greens not too far behind either. With a threshold of just over 8% I think the BNP seat is fairly comfortable here.
I think you’re very very wrong.
And Labour’s second seat is by no means safe.
It will be:
Conservatives 3
Labour 1 (2)
Lib Dem 1 (2)
UKIP 1 (2)
Green 1
BNP (1)
i.e. if Labour lose 2 seats, the BNP probably get one, unless UKIP or the Lib Dems poll a bit better.
I have a hunch which is probably complete nonsense that a lot of normally reliable Labour voters have defected to the Greens so maybe Daniel Lee’s prediction may turn out to be correct.
I agree with Neil on this one
That’s been my experience on the street Andy.
Apparently the BNP took a seat on Lancashire CC. It looks like the BBC has listed this as ‘other’.
The share of the vote in Lancashire so far is being reported as:
C – 41.7% (+4.4%)
Lab – 23.7% (-13.8%)
LD – 14.6% (-4.2%)
UKIP – 6.9% (+6.6%)
Green – 4.0% (+2.2%)
BNP – 3.5% (+1.6%)
Those minor party figures are probably not very reliable because they won’t have contested all the divisions. I assume the changes are from the last county council elections in 2005.
Preston provisional results
Conservative – 9,410
Labour – 8,072
UKIP – 4,958
LibDem – 4,509
Greens – 2,438…
BNP – 2,377
Eng Dem – 835
Christian – 572
NO2EU – 462
Socialist Labour – 461
Jury Team – 281
Libertas – 140
Ind – 71
Sky News are confidently reporting that Griffin has been elected.
The BNP leader just snuck in – very sad news. Poor performance by Labour who lost a seat, but even if they’d done rather better, it would have been unlikely to affect the people elected. The Greens did well but finished around 5,000 votes behind the BNP, but note the strong UKIP performance – they almost took a second seat and denied Griffin one.
BBC reporting that UKIP were 1,200 votes short of taking the last seat and the Greens 5,000.
So he has. UKIP less than 3000 off taking a second seat which would have stopped him – a lesson to those (the Greens) who think that you can play tactical voting games in a D’Hondt system
In fairness to the Greens, the tactical voting almost worked – 5,000 votes in a constituency this size isn’t that much. And while tactical voting here is a challenge, in a smaller constituency it’s easier to see how it might work.
It would be difficult to argue that the expenses scandal wasn’t responsible for just pushing Griffin over the top.
The expenses scandal happened because each MP looked around and saw that most other MPs were indulging in indefensible expense claims and so thought that it was okay for them. You couldn’t come up with a better example of group-think but it’s a group-think that has ended up with Griffin being elected.
I disagree. If anything these issues almost prevented Griffin being elected as it boosted both the Greens and UKIP. UKIP were nowhere near getting two seats in this region before that and the Greens were nowhere near getting none. Griffinsd vote was no more than one would have expected before all this but the mainstream parties were well short of the numbers needed to stop him (ie Con 4 Lab 3 or LD 2)
I dont think I expressed that too well. UKIP were 3000 votes off taking a second seat – the seat which went to the BNP, while the Greens were 5000 away from taking that seat. I dont believe that were it not for the expenses scandal that UKIP would have been in a position to poll double the BNP or that the Greens would be close to polling more votes than the BNP. Therefore it would have required one of the other parties to poll more votes to take the last seat and the numbers needed would have been:
Conservatives would have needed over 100,000 more votes
Labour would have needed 60,000 more
LDs would have needed 30,000 more
The BNP appear to have taken the seat in Yorks & Humber by a larger margin than the NW.
Perhaps the reason why is that this was a more obvious BNP target and there would be more effort by the Greens in particular not only to win a seat but to keep the BNP out.
What impact, if any will the “Question Time” on 22nd. October have on the BNP MEP’s electoral prospects here next time?
I don’t think it will have a huge impact as the next Euro election is still 4 and a half years away. If the elections were next June, then it could result in them losing.
I don’t think Griffith’s performance will help his share of the vote in Thurock (West) next spring.
I would expect a higher turnout among non-BNP voters in NW England in 2014, so Griffin could still lose while polling more votes.
That’s what happened in Millwall in Tower Hamlets in 1994.