BOLTON’s three MPs are preparing for a busy 2016. A host of crucial local and national issues are set to come to the fore and political reporter Liam Thorp finds out what our parliamentary representatives are focusing on as we head into the New Year.

WHETHER it is voting on matters of national security or campaigning for their constituents — Bolton’s three Members of Parliament are set for a busy 2016.

Speaking of busy, the past eight months are bound to have been the most intense of Chris Green’s life.

He swapped life as an engineer to become Bolton’s first Conservative MP since 1997 in May and after a hectic period of recruiting staff and answering thousands of emails, he is ready for a big year.

He said: “It has certainly been intense and it took a while to get settled in both in Westminster and with a new office in Bolton.

“But I have recruited an apprentice and a new case worker will start in January and things are starting to fit together nicely.”

Mr Green has begun to speak more regularly in the House of Commons and is looking ahead to getting involved in some crucial debates next year.

He said: “There are broad issues regarding our national and economic security ahead.

“The Middle East and North Africa are in increasing turmoil and we have seen that have an impact in places like the United States and France — so national security will be a key issue.

“We also have to focus on our economic security — I want to see the economic recovery translated into improved living standards, with employers paying better wages.”

Closer to home, there is one issue dominating conversations in his constituency — the future of Bolton Wanderers.

He said: “I am really concerned about the future of the club and while I am pleased that the employees have been paid before Christmas, we have to look towards the long term future of Bolton Wanderers.”

He said other key local issues will include congestion on Bolton’s roads, the development of infrastructure in his constituency and of course the hugely divisive issue of fracking — with most of Bolton now available for test drilling.

For Bolton South East MP Yasmin Qureshi, there are three crucial areas that will grab her attention in the next year.

She said: “The Royal Bolton Hospital is in my constituency and I am very passionate about it.

“I want to see the hospital continue to maintain its Accident and Emergency targets, I do not want to see cutbacks in services for local people — and I want to ensure it goes from strength to strength.”

The concerning state of affairs at Bolton Wanderers has already come to the attention of Ms Qureshi and she has tabled an Early Day Motion to support them in Parliament.

She said: “I believe and hope that the club will survive because so many people rely on it for different reasons.

“It may not be a matter of life and death but it provides so much joy for people in Bolton and is a real trademark of our town.”

Her final focus point revolves around the poorest people in society, she said: “Potential changes to the welfare state that could come in next year could create serious issues for people.

“It could mean that a lot of people become homeless and that is wrong — we want people in Bolton and across the country to feel safe and have places to live.”

Regular readers of The Bolton News will not be surprised to know that Bolton North East MP David Crausby will be keeping a keen eye on Bolton’s railways next year.

With new firm Arriva set to take over the Northern franchise and electrification edging ever closer, it could be a big year for the local network.

He said: “I am looking forward to finally having a decent level of train service — but we still have a distance to go.

“But we should be making good progress towards electrification in Bolton in 2016.”

Like the others, Mr Crausby is hoping the Whites will resolve their issues on and off the pitch — but he will also be hoping his political party can get their house in order as well.

He has previously stated he did not want Jeremy Corbyn to become leader of the Labour party and accepts that the party has been in disarray in recent months.

He said: “I hope that things will get better — and I think that they will.

“The reality is Jeremy didn’t expect to win and is going through a very steep learning curve — he has changed his position on a few things and some of them have been wise decisions.”

He added: “One of the big challenges for his leadership will be the issue of renewing the nuclear deterrent Trident and that is something he has to handle properly as it is big issue.”