CAMPAIGNING is hotting up in a key local authority by-election caused by the disqualification of a former Conservative councillor.

Voters go to the polls on Thursday November 17 in the Darwen South ward of Blackburn with Darwen borough.

It is being contested by Janine Crook for the Conservative Party, Liberal Democrat Mark Davies and Matt Jackson for Labour.

The by-election was called after sitting Independent councillor Andrew Walker was disqualified in October for failing to attend a council meeting for six months.

He had been elected in May last year with a majority of more than 500 votes having stood as a Conservative and then suspended by the party on the eve of poll for a social media post which appeared to show support for far-right EDL founder and convicted criminal Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, better known as 'Tommy Robinson'.

Ms Crook, an equestrian centre manager, is campaigning on the over-development of Darwen by the Labour-controlled borough council with a lack of investment in roads, schools and health services.

The Darwen resident for more than 50 years said on Facebook: "Blackburn Labour have already decimated so much of our countryside across Darwen.

"They've allowed developers to build hundreds of new houses on Pole Lane, Cranberry and Bailey's Field without any investment into local infrastructure.

"On November 17 you can send a message to Blackburn Labour that enough is enough - no more housebuilding here in Darwen without the necessary funding for local infrastructure."

Mr Jackson is campaigning on the cost of living crisis and claiming that Mr Walker and the ward's two sitting Tory representatives - Cllrs Kevin Connor and Lilian Salton - fail to do enough for its residents.

He posted on Facebook: "Out leafleting around Pole lane, many residents not entirely happy with the traffic management system pushed ahead by the local Tory councillors ( again,of whom not one resident can name).

"A brilliant night of canvassing in the area which used to be Whitehall. So many supporters crying out for someone to do something about their park area, drains and potholes. Clearly no attention given for the last four years.

"Today came across a older gentleman, who had recently contracted Covid and was sat in his flat convalescing in the cold, too worried to put on his heat on.

"Am I really living in some Victorian age? Heartbreaking how ruthless this government is."

Mr Davies - a Darwen Town councillor and the son of the late long-serving LibDem councillor Roy - has focussed on Mr Walker's failure to attend council meetings, the recent chaos of the Conservative government and the cost of living crisis.

His campaign leaflet says: "This government promised lower taxes and growth.

"What will we get: higher taxes, recession, higher mortgages, higher rents, increased cost of living.

"On November you can tell the Conservatives what you think of them."

In the borough elections in May last year Cllr Connor defeated Mr Jackson by 149 votes.