AHEAD of the general election political reporter Liam Thorp takes an in-depth look at each of the three borough constituencies — starting with Bolton North East.

THE Bolton North East constituency is made up of a diverse range of areas including Astley Bridge, Bradshaw, Breightmet, Bromley Cross, Crompton, Halliwell, Tonge with the Haulgh and a large section of the town centre.

The parliamentary seat has been held by Labour’s David Crausby since 1997, having previously been held by Peter Thurnham — who served as both a Conservative and Liberal Democrat MP for the area since 1983.

Mr Crausby was re-elected to the seat in 2010, beating Conservative candidate Deborah Dunleavy into second place with a majority of 4,084. He is once again standing for the seat in May.

That result places the constituency as the 185th most marginal in the country going into the May vote and the Tories will need a swing from Labour of 4.7 per cent to take the seat.

The candidate selected to try to achieve that swing for the Conservatives is James Daly, a local councillor in Bury who works as a legal aid solicitor.

Also on the ticket is Liberal Democrat candidate Steven Rock, who is the leader of the party on Horwich Town Council and a former mayor of Horwich.

The Green party candidate is 36-year-old Breightmet mother and occupational therapist Laura Diggle and UKIP’s contender is chess-playing businessman Harry Lamb.

We asked each candidate to sum-up why they feel they deserve your vote on May 7 — here is what they said.

Mr Crausby said: "I have a proven record as the MP for Bolton North East and have helped thousands of local residents over the last 18 years. I have always been Bolton’s voice in Westminster and not Westminster’s voice in Bolton, putting the interests of local residents first and fighting for change to improve their lives.

“I know that the election of a Labour government is the best way to deliver the change we need.”

Tory candidate Mr Daly said: “I will work tirelessly to improve the life chances of those from the most disadvantaged backgrounds.

"I believe residents should vote for me as my central guiding principle will be to make sure every child no matter their circumstances has the chance to thrive and has equality of opportunity to pursue their chosen careers and fulfil their potential.”

Lib Dem Mr Rock said: “I was born and bred in Bolton and I am concerned about the issues that affect local people which is often overshadowed by national and international issues.

"I have a passion for helping people. I am concerned about the NHS and feel we need to preserve it and invest in making it the greatest health service as it once was —I believe in a fair society for everyone and a vote for me is a vote for change.”

UKIP's Mr Lamb said: “In Bolton North East the Conservatives cannot win. They tried to beat David Crausby for the last four elections and failed.

If you are a Conservative and you want to get a non-Labour MP, vote UKIP — and if you are one of the many disillusioned Labour supporters you should also vote UKIP.

“If you want your town back, if you want a clean environment and a vibrant town centre, vote UKIP."

Green Party candidate Laura Diggle said: “I have lived in Bolton for over a decade and I am a mother of two young children — I volunteer in the community with Guides and Rainbows.

“At the moment, I work hard for the NHS. If I was elected, I would work hard for you.

“I’m not a career politician. I really care about our community. I joined the Green Party to stand up for real change and I hope you will join with me to show that a better world is possible.”