Mayor takes on Labour role again
LABOUR say they can win Southport in the General Election on June 8 after revealing their candidate to fight the marginal seat.
The party has chosen the Mayor of West Lancashire, Liz Savage, as their representative - after she made a strong challenge in the General Election two years ago.
In 2010, Labour candidate Jim Conalty gained 4,116 votes, with a 9.4% share of the vote, trailing well behind the Lib Dems (49.6%) and Conservatives (35.8%).
But in 2015 Cllr Savage more than doubled that to 8,468 votes with a 19.2% share of the vote, as the Conservatives and Lib Dems lost ground.
Now she believes that sitting MP John Pugh’s sudden decision to step down last month makes Southport a real contest - with Labour standing every chance of winning.
She said: “With the resignation of John Pugh this really is a three horse race.
“Labour can win here and are the only true alternative to the Conservatives.”
Cllr Savage is currently serving as a Labour councillor for Ashurst Ward, having been firest elected to the council in May 2011.
A trained teacher, she runs her own slimming business in Southport.
In previous general elections, many Labour supporters in Southport have voted Lib Dem to stop the Conservatives taking the seat.
But since Labour’s strong showing in 2015, Cllr Savage believes Labour has a great chance of winning the seat outright.
She said: “The Lib Dems are a spent force across the country and can’t activate their policies.”