General election candidates confirmed

All of the candidates standing in the 2019 General Election in Oldham have now been confirmed.

Parties had until 4pm on Thursday (14 November) to confirm who will be standing in the election on Thursday 12 December. 

Polling stations across the borough will be open from 7am to 10pm on the day as voters will get the chance to choose who will represent them as their Member of Parliament. 

Here is every candidate standing in the Oldham constituencies... 

The 19 candidates vying to become Oldham’s MPs have been revealed ahead of the December general election.

Politicians from all sides of the debate are ramping up their campaigning after MPs backed Boris Johnson’s call for a snap poll earlier this year.

It will be the UK’s first winter election in nearly a century, taking place on Thursday, December 12.

Here is the full list of candidates who are standing in the three constituencies that cover Oldham:

Oldham East and Saddleworth

Debbie Abrahams has held the Oldham East and Saddleworth seat for Labour since winning a by-election in 2011.

A juxtaposition of downbeat urban terraces and the rolling Pennine hills, it is the largest constituency in Greater Manchester for sheer geographical size.

A Labour seat since its inception, since 2011 Ms Abrahams has held it comfortably, increasing her majority in each subsequent election.

The constituency voted by more than 59 pc to leave in the EU referendum, which may prove a rallying point for her opponents as Ms Abrahams supports remain and backs a second referendum.

The runners up in 2017, the Conservatives, will need to muster more than 8,000 votes to take the seat, however – and hope their vote isn’t split by a Brexit Party candidate.

Candidates:

• Debbie Abrahams, Labour Party
• Sam Al-Hamdani, Liberal Democrats
• Paul Brierley, Brexit Party
• Paul Errock, Proud of Oldham & Saddleworth
• Amoy Lindo, Independent
• Tom Lord, Conservative Party
• Wendy Olsen, Green Party

Oldham West and Royton

Oldham West and Royton is a Labour stronghold that had been represented for 45 years by veteran MP Michael Meacher until his death in 2015.

The resulting by-election was won comfortably by Oldham council leader Jim McMahon, easily fighting off UKIP at a time when Nigel Farage fancied his then-party’s chances in the seat.

Two years later, Mr McMahon managed to increase his majority to more than 17,000.

In this leave-voting area Brexit is likely to be a hot topic on the doorstep on December 12, but the Conservatives would need to more than double their vote share to upset the status quo.

Candidates:

• Debbie Cole, Proud of Oldham & Saddleworth
• Kirsty Finlayson, Conservative Party
• Helen Formby, Brexit Party
• Garth Harkness, Liberal Democrats
• Dan Jerrome, Green Party
• Jim McMahon, Labour and Co-operative Party
• Anthony Prince, UK Independence Party

Ashton-Under-Lyne (Failsworth)

The Ashton-Under-Lyne seat has been red since 1935 and is currently represented by shadow education secretary Angela Rayner. 

Elected in 2015, she has since been an outspoken defender of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn Labour.

A leave-leaning constituency, which also covers Failsworth in Oldham, it has been most closely contested by the Conservatives in the past, with UKIP polling third place in the previous two elections.

The Tories were a fairly distant second in 2017 and with the Brexit party also putting up a candidate this year, the debate over how – and whether – we should leave the EU may continue to split Labour’s opposing vote.

Candidates:

• Derek Brocklehurst, Brexit Party
• Dan Costello, Conservative Party
• Lee Huntbach, Green Party
• Angela Rayner, Labour Party
• George Rice, Liberal Democrats

People aged 18 and over are being urged to ensure they are registered to vote before the deadline on Tuesday 26 November.

The Electorial Commission - the body that oversees elections in the UK - has answered the 10 most common questions, that can help voters understand the options available to them. Read more here.