AHEAD of the general election political reporter Liam Thorp takes an in-depth look at each of the three borough constituencies — here he continues the series with marginal seat Bolton West.

MANY voters will go to the polls on May 7 in the knowledge that their vote will make very little difference to the outcome of their local constituency and the election in general — but this is not the case in Bolton West.

The parliamentary seat is in the top five marginals in the country with Labour candidate Julie Hilling currently holding a slender 92-vote majority over the Conservatives from the last election.

The Tories need a swing of just 0.1 per cent to take Bolton West and it has been a constituency the party has focussed heavily on in the run up to the election — with visits from party heavyweights including Chancellor George Osborne and Prime Minister David Cameron.

Ms Hilling was elected in 2010, taking over from former Labour front bencher Ruth Kelly, who held the seat from 1997.

Before that, Bolton West was blue — with Conservative Tom Sackville in the seat since 1983.

The diverse constituency is made up of areas including Heaton, Lostock, Horwich, Blackrod, Smithills, Westhoughton and Atherton.

Ms Hilling, a former youth worker, has sat on a number of All Parliamentary Groups relating to rail and has chaired the Youth Affairs Group.

She will be challenged for the seat by Conservative Chris Green, an engineer who stood for the Tories in Manchester Withington back in 2010.

Also on the ticket is Liberal Democrat Andrew Martin — the youngest candidate at 23 — a freelance fitness instructor who studied law at Cambridge University.

UKIP’s contender is lighting technician and former union man Bob Horsefield, whose career has seen him work on TV programmes including Game of Thrones.

John Vickers is a liaison officer for social housing provider Bolton at Home and is contesting the seat on behalf of the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition.

There is also an independent candidate in the running in the shape of Andy Smith, an MA Art student at the University of Bolton.

All six contenders will be hoping to play a pivotal role in what could be one of the most important constituency votes in the election.

We asked each candidate why they believe they deserve the votes of the Bolton West public.

Labour’s Julie Hilling said: “The choice at this election is between a failing plan and a better plan for working families — it has been an amazing honour and privilege to have been a loud voice for Bolton West in Parliament and to have campaigned for change both nationally and locally as the MP since 2010.

"I hope my constituents will trust me with their vote so that I can continue to serve them for the next five years.”

Conservative candidate Chris Green said: “Labour is failing Bolton. This can be seen by their chaotic plans for Bolton town centre development, excessive house building and lack of investment in transport.

“As a Conservative, rather than be silent or complicit with Wigan and Bolton Councils, I will use my position as your MP to challenge them for better services and the right infrastructure development.”

Liberal Democrat hopeful Andrew Martin thinks he represents an “alternative” for voters.

He said: “The other two main parties always try to write off the Liberal Democrats.

“The truth is, there is an alternative both to excessive Conservative cuts and to Labour’s borrowing — the Liberal Democrats will balance the books without allowing deep ideological cuts, and it is only the Liberal Democrats who will build opportunity for all in a stronger economy and a fairer society.”

Bob Horsefield, the UKIP candidate is confident that his party’s manifesto is worth backing, he said:”I think people have made their mind up already and are sick to the back teeth of listening to the same old tripe that’s on offer from the so called mainstream parties.

“It is no good moaning about it when it’s all over when you had the chance to change things.

“Have a look at UKIP’s manifesto and be honest with yourself, how could you not vote for that.”

John Vickers believes TUSC is the way forward if people want real change.

He said: “I am the only candidate to stand for a party committed to ending austerity and its devastating effect on the working class people of this country.

“To keep doing the same thing over and over again and expecting to get a different result every time is madness, but that is what the Conservative and Labour party want you to do, a vote for me and a vote for TUSC is a vote for change.”

Andy Smith, the only independent candidate on the ticket wants to implement a different kind of politics.

He said: “I believe that a representative can only truly identify with a community through daily interaction and experience and if elected I promise to work for the living wage.

I am energetic, will work tirelessly, and be answerable only to my constituents, their families, local business and our environment.

“We cannot rely on the major parties to deliver a customised service to a community of people — they continue to set themselves up in a 19th century form of democracy that no longer relates to the digitised world.”