Fourth election in 18 months

THE people of Batley will go to the polls yet again later this month.

A by-election is being held for the Kirklees Council’s Batley East seat after Clr Amanda Stubley was expelled from the council for non-attendance at meetings for six months.

It is the fourth election for residents in Batley East in just 18 months, after the EU Referendum in June 2016, the by-election following the murder of Jo Cox in October 2016, and the General Election last June.

Clr Stubley had been the member for Batley East for six years but she fell out with the Labour party in 2016 and was suspended following a high-profile run-in with far-right supporters during the Batley and Spen by-election.

Five candidates have come forward this time from the four major parties, along with one independent.

The favourite to win will be Labour’s Habiban Nisa Zaman.

The Conservative candidate is Paul Young, the Liberal Democrat is Jon Bloom, while the Green contender is David Smith.

Former UKIP candidate Aleks Lukic is again seeking election, this time describing himself as The Local Independents - Heavy Woollen District.

Mr Lukic has stood in all four elections.

All the candidates are from Batley or Dewsbury. The election will take place on Thursday, October 26, between 7am and 10pm.