Eleven contest vacant Rotherham Parliamentary seat

A BUSINESSMAN, a teacher, a former advice worker and a vicar are among the 11 candidates in the Rotherham by-election poll on November 29.

Labour, Tories, Respect, UKIP, Socialist and far right parties will be on the ballot papers after nominations closed on Wednesday.

Labour, Tories, Respect, UKIP, socialist and far right parties will be on the ballot papers after nominations closed on Wednesday.

Conservative Simon Wilson, head of a business unit for a UK based company, said: “The people of Rotherham have been badly let down by Labour politicians, not just their MP but also local councillors.

“Trust in politicians locally has been badly damaged and I aim to demonstrate that not all politicians are the same, by showing the values I hold dearly: family life, hard work, honesty, integrity and fairness.

“With over 20 years developing a career outside of politics I believe I can understand and appreciate the hopes, aspirations and fears of regular, hard-working people.”

Lib Dem Michael Beckett (37), a former manager for the Citizens’ Advice Bureau, pledged to put residents first.

Mr Beckett, who said he had experience in both business and charity sectors, went on: “I would use my professional background to make a real difference for Rotherham and its residents.”

Lib Dem MEP Rebecca Taylor said he would “take the fight to Labour who have taken the people of Rotherham for granted for too long”.

UKIP’s Jane Collins, a full-time organiser for the party, who previously stood in the Barnsley by-election, was raised in Pontefract, her dad and grandfather were miners and claimed she is a “grassroots” politician.

“The people of Rotherham have had enough and are sick of the present Coalition,” she claimed.

“They cannot have much trust in the Labour party in Rotherham. After all even the Labour Party doesn’t, given it has parachuted a candidate in against the wishes of the local branch.”

Teacher Ralph Dyson, joint branch secretary of the teachers’ NUT union, who led a successful strike at Rawmarsh school last year, is the socialist candidate standing as Trades Unionists and Socialists Against Cuts for “a workers’ MP on a worker’s wage”.

Ralph, who led a hospital protest in solidarity with Wednesday’s Europe-wide action against cuts, said: “We need to fight the Tory cuts and austerity, end corruption at the top and stop the racists and fascists peddling their filthy lies.”

English Democrats’ David Wildgoose wanted “English MPs to stand up for England” and opposed multiculturalism.

He claimed it was wrong that England suffered cuts to give money to Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the EU.

Ian Sutton, his agent, said: “The English Democrats are the political voice for England, just as the Scottish National Party is for Scotland.”

British National Party’s Marlene Guest, who has contested parliamentary and council seats before, claimed Rotherham was a town “full of immigrants taking houses and jobs”.

She said: “What is the point of creating more jobs if people from Eastern Europe come over and take them?

“We haven’t enough for our own.”

Independent candidates include Clint Bristow, from Doncaster, the Rev Simon Copley, who lives in the Rother Valley area, and Paul Dickson from Wansbeck in the north east.

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