It was never going to be any other day, but the writ for the Manchester Gorton by-eleciton has now been moved and the poll will take place on 4th May.
Lib Dem candidate Jackie Pearcey had this to say on Twitter:
Not exactly a secret BUT Byelection will take place on Thursday, May 4th. We've been at it for weeks though and ready to beat Labour!
— Jackie4MP (@JackieP4MP) March 28, 2017
Tim Farron sent members an email asking them for money to boost Jackie’s campaign. He said:
We’ve already been hard at work for weeks, and we now have another 36 days to pull off something incredible.
In contrast, Labour has only just selected its candidate. George Galloway cancelled an event in Paisley last weekend due to “unforeseen circumstances.” Presumably that meant he was in the constituency over the weekend. I am sure we are all waiting to see Jackie take him on at hustings.
4th May is going to be a tad busy, shall we say. As well as the by-election, there is a council by-eelction in a ward in the constituency and the Greater Manchester mayoral election.
Want to get involved in the campaign?
All the information you need to help Jackie in Gorton can be found here.
* Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Caron's Musings. You can find her on Bluesky at caronmlindsay.bsky.social
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5 Comments
No coincidence that the chosen date is May 4th. While I wish Jaclie every success, for the sake of our councillors, existing and aspiring, may I ask that resources are not diverted from their important elections?
@Mark Blackburn
“… for the sake of our councillors, existing and aspiring, may I ask that resources are not diverted from their important elections?”
Except that there are relatively few local council seats up for election this year within reasonable proximity to Manchester Gorton.
For example there are no council elections in:
– Greater Manchester
– Merseyside
– West Yorkshire
– South Yorkshire (except Doncaster)
– Cheshire East UA
– Cheshire West & Chester UA
– Warrington UA, etc.
That’s actually quite a significant chunk of the country’s population and of our activists.
Within (say) 75 minutes’ drive of Manchester Gorton there are probably less than 10 County Council seats that we are defending in May, places like Burnley, Pendle, Preston and Penwortham in Lancashire CC, and the High Peak District of Derbyshire CC.
Good point, Simon. I would just add a couple of local by-elections to the list: Claughton in Wirral and Wavertree in Liverpool
There is however a Metro Mayor election in Gtr Manchester. No idea how seriously we’re taking this.
@Chris Bertram
“There is however a Metro Mayor election in Gtr Manchester. No idea how seriously we’re taking this.”
And in Merseyside (+ Halton UA) as well. But, on the basis that we have no real prospect of coming anywhere near winning either of those, whereas we do have the prospect of coming somewhere near winning Manchester Gorton, I hope we actually have a very good idea how much priority we are giving to those Metro Mayor elections.