Local issues will hopefully get airing in run-up to election

THE other week, I argued that I felt Rossendale would be better served if the general election was seen less as a second referendum on the EU (this about hard or soft Brexits) and actually about the issues which impact our daily lives.

Schools funding, NHS priorities, rising crime and police resource, the north/south divide on spending, council funding and more are all arguably issues which are impacted by Brexit, but which each have a bigger impact on our daily lives than Brexit itself.

Last week, Conservative Jake Berry was chosen by his party to stand again in Rossendale and Darwen, to defend the government’s record and his own personal track record for raising issues which matter to local people in Parliament.

Labour have chosen Rossendale council leader Alyson Barnes as their candidate.

More candidates for the seat will presumably become known ahead of the closing date for nominations on May 11.

Having the council leader competing with the local MP hopefully provides the chance, here at least, for this to be an election in which local issues get an airing, and national issues get set in a local context.

Of course, this is a general election and is primarily about national policies – but it’s essential there is a debate on how those decisions would play out here.

The national view is that the Conservatives have a landslide result in the bag.

Rossendale with Darwen has bucked the trend before, can it again?

One thing is for sure, we’re in for a very keenly-contested election here.