Hats in the ring to be the Labour party candidate for Rochdale

Councillor Chris Furlong (right) with Labour MP and Manchester Mayoral candidate Andy Burnham

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Following the news that Simon Danczuk will not be the Labour Party candidate for Rochdale in the forthcoming general election, at least three local Labour members, two of them councillors, are throwing their hats into the ring to be the party's candidate.

https://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/109765/danczuk-barred-from-standing-as-labour-candidate-at-general-election

Despite an (unsuccessful) attempt by local Labour Party group leader, Councillor Richard Farnell to dissuade local members from talking to the media, those interested parties have spoken to Rochdale Online to say why they think they should be the candiddate. 

In an email seen by Rochdale Online, Councillor Farnell said: "I would ask that no one comments to the local/national media - referring them to the national Labour Party press office. The decision on the selection of a candidate for Rochdale rests with the National Executive Committee."

The decision as to whom the candidate will be is to be taken by the Labour Party National Executive Committee (NEC), however, local Labour members have already been forthright in their opinion that the candidate should be a local person and not someone 'parachuted' in from outside - as of course Mr Danczuk was in 2010.

It is understood a number of the local Constituency Labour Party (CLP) are backing Councillor Chris Furlong. CLP Secretary Sharon Maclean said: "I will be supporting Chris Furlong as the candidate for Rochdale. He knows the problems in Rochdale and has solutions which will benefit the constituency."

Councillor Furlong said: "I can confirm that I will be putting my name forward for the vacant Labour candidacy for the seat of Rochdale.

"In the last few months I have been inundated by members of Rochdale CLP, residents of Rochdale and the Labour Party as a whole to stand for Labour if Simon could not stand.

"I am glad that the issue of Simon Danczuk's ability to stand has been finalised and the party, both locally and nationally, can move on to selecting the Labour candidate for Rochdale.

"It would be an absolute honour and a privilege to stand for Labour in Rochdale and I know as a local candidate I have very large support both in Rochdale CLP and in the community as a whole.

"Whoever is selected to stand for Labour will be very lucky to have such a dedicated and hard working membership willing to back them and a town to be proud of and I hope whoever wins the selection goes on to win the seat for Labour for the good of the town."

Also vying for the candidacy is Castleton councillor Aasim Rashid.

Councillor Rashid said: "I strongly believe that we need a local campaigner and a strong voice for the people of Rochdale.

"Rochdale is a gold mine of a multicultural society. We have cohesive and vibrant communities living in Rochdale.

"As a person who can understand issues, and with a commitment to deliver, I have been working with all communities across the board. I was the first BAME councillor to be elected in a predominantly English area, which proves my ability to work for all communities.

"With my financial background and business capability, I have the right assets to be a strong MP for the people of Rochdale.

"If I am given chance it will be an honour to serve the people of Rochdale, who deserve a better life and better opportunities."

Councillor Aasim Rashid

Backing Councillor Rashid is the Pakistani & Kashmiri Community Association. Spokesperson Mudassir Yasin said: "We strongly recommend the idea of nominating a local person as the candidate for Rochdale who knows the issues and is keen enough to resolve them.

"Rochdale suffered a lot in previous years as people from outside the Borough have been imposed on us but have not really delivered.

"Rochdale is always in the news for the wrong reasons. A local campaigner would understand the issues of the constituency much better.

"We are not in favour of getting behind an imposed candidate, which will damage the party's goodwill and we may lose another Labour seat."

Former Lib Dem councillor Mark Birkett, who has been a Labour Party member since 2015, has also declared his wish to be the candiddate. Mr Birkett, said: "I never imagined years ago that I’d ever want to be a Westminster politician, but now I most certainly do.

"The town has never needed a ruthlessly optimistic MP more than it does now. With all we see in these turbulent times, I want to play my part in transforming Rochdale’s fortunes. I want people here to stop despairing of politics, stop despairing of their town and instead choose to be inspired to help create a new and re-vitalised Rochdale.

Mark Birkett

"I want people to start thinking of Labour as their party again; especially youngsters. I am well known for supporting Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership, and I have a deep rooted loyalty to the core values of the Labour Party.

"As such, I know that nobody in Rochdale is better qualified or more ruthlessly passionate than I am. I want to represent Rochdale and I want to represent the Labour party.

"Most importantly of all, I want the Tories out of office. It really is that simple. And I know that the only viable and electable alternative to their hateful policies is our party; united at every turn on housing, education, health, tax, the economy and climate change.

"Perhaps as a final and unique ‘selling point’ for my candidacy, if I were elected as Rochdale’s MP, I have already publicly committed to only accepting the national average wage and not a penny more. That’s because I want to lead by example. I want people to trust their local politicians again. These are not ‘hair-shirt’ politics; they are real. Thus, if elected, any income as an MP over and above the official national average salary (currently £27,500 per year) would be given away; half to Rochdale charities and half to a trust fund to support Rochdale-based co-operative business-venture start-ups."

An official decision will be announced after a meeting of NEC members on 3 May to approve candidates. The deadline for Labour’s candidate nominations is 5 May.