Rochdale by-election: Community champion selected as Conservative candidate

Date published: 02 February 2024

Community champion and former Rochdale Man of the Year, Paul Ellison has been selected as the Conservative candidate in the Rochdale by-election with a plan to fight for the issues that matter across the borough.

The well-known local volunteer and businessman, who runs a landscaping firm, said he is passionate about his hometown and wants to showcase that the borough is on the up, which he believes only the Conservatives can bring about, delivering the long-term change places like Rochdale need.

He said: “In places like Rochdale people's aspiration can often be stifled by the impacts brought about by negative perceptions. If elected I am determined to be a champion to the borough.”

Paul continued: “I believe there is a great opportunity to show the difference what a local candidate with Conservative values of working together, taking pride in your community, and facilitating growth can do, bucking the expectation of a so called Labour safe seat.  Labour can’t say what they’d do, because they don’t have a plan, which means nothing will get better – taking us back to square one.”

Paul, who lives in Norden, is well-known for helping Rochdale reach national recognition in RHS In Bloom awards.
 

Read more: Rochdale in Bloom reaches prestigious Britain in Bloom nationals for a second timePublished: 11 February 2022
North West In Bloom: Gold for third year running as Norden named 'best large village'Published: 19 October 2023

He says people want to see the greenbelt and greenspaces preserved, something which he is keen to see, but also added that, if elected, he would push for more economic development across the area to ensure the town is not left behind its neighbours.

The 41-year-old father, who is chairman of the Norden Economic and Environmental Village Association and who was voted Rochdale Man of the Year in 2019/20 for his work in the community, said: “Rochdale has, over several years, had negative media reports including recent coverage of drug crime, poor social housing and child sexual exploitation. 

“It’s a shame as we have got so much potential here to bring in the economic development we need, development which I believe can only come about with a Conservative MP here working hard with the government to deliver on its plan and Rochdale to succeed.”

Read more: Man of Rochdale Paul Ellison celebrates 30 years of community workPublished: 09 May 2020
Paul Ellison and Ray Smith - Man of Rochdale 2019 joint winnersPublished: 22 November 2019