East Lancashire MPs unveil this year's Christmas cards

The MPs have been unveiling the designs for their cards this festive season, with some sending the special cards to the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

Blackburn Labour MP Kate Hollern and her Rossendale and Darwen Conservative counterpart Sir Jake Berry both opted for a Westminster view on their cards.

Hyndburn Tory Sara Britcliffe and he party colleagues Pendle's Andrew Stephenson and Burnley's Antony Higginbotham all ran competition for schoolchildren to choose their cards.

Mr Speaker Lindsay Hoyle's card

Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans opted for humour and his boss House of Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle's parrot, while the Chorley MP and chair of Parliamentary proceedings himself chose an image of an 18th Century 'Ice Fair' on the River Thames.

Mrs Hollern said: "I have chosen this card because it epitomises both Parliament and the Christmas season.

"In the past, I have invited local schools to submit their own designs and hope to do so again next year."

Miss Britcliffe said: "The one with a snowman is from Ada Bowker of Baxenden St John’s Primary School.

"I selected this because I thought it was wonderfully festive in a traditional way and captures the spirit of Christmas.

"The design with the black background is from Lenny Hayes of St Charles Primary School Rishton, I selected this design as it is creative, original and promotes an eco-friendly Christmas."

Mr Evans said: "I always try and do a humorous Christmas card.

"This summer I was lucky enough to have the Speaker’s parrot sit on my arm and I thought even in June this sounds probably like too good a thing not to miss."

Mr Higginbotham said: "The winners were decided by Burnley College Art Students, alongside myself and the principal of the college

"The snowman is by Year 11 pupil Callum from The Alternative School St James Burnley – Year 11

"Father Christmas is Arthur Trevor from Rosewood Primary School in Year Six."

Health minister Mr Stephenson chose his winning design by 10-year-old Ramona Brennan from St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Barnoldswick.

He said: "Her design was both eye-catching and colourful, and I really loved the traditional bird design which really stood out."

Sir Lindsay said: ‘I have always been fascinated by the stories of the frost fairs that took place on the frozen River Thames.

"In the two centuries up to the 1800s, the river was so shallow, the temperatures so low, and the ice so thick, that it could support enterprising locals opening hastily-constructed shops, ice skating rinks, and even pubs as part of these regularly occurring fairs.

"So, when I came across this etching by George Bickham (the Younger) in our Parliamentary Art Collection, featuring a frost fair in 1739-40, with Parliament in the background, I thought it would make an interesting Christmas card."

Sir Jake said: “I would like to wish everyone across Rossendale and Darwen a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

“Our emergency services and others will continue to work to provide vital support to our communities, sacrificing time with their own families. My heartfelt thanks goes to them."