A PENSIONER is set to hit the election campaign trail and fight for Jack Straw's Blackburn seat.

Barnoldswick woman Dorothy Baxter, 65, is standing for the UK Independence Party - which campaigns for Britain to pull out of Europe - and believes promises about pensions could help win her votes.

Mrs Baxter, a former weaver and worker at Silentnight, stood against Mr Straw in 2001 when he was Home Secretary and polled 1,185 votes - roughly 2.9per cent of the turnout.

Since then, Mr Straw has become the Foreign Office, and Mrs Baxter believes that will make the policies she is standing for more attractive to voters.

She said: "The first thing we would do is pull out of Europe, and that would save us a lot of money.

"That would mean we could give pensioners a £25 a week pension increase there and then.

"People say we are a one issue party but Europe is probably the most important issue going. It has such control over our lives and I think people are seeing that more these days.

"I am not a career politician, I am an ordinary pensioner. I did rather enjoy the campaign last time and hopefully I can persuade more people to vote for me this time."

Mrs Baxter is one of three UKIP candidates standing in East Lancashire.

In Pendle Graham Cannon is standing for a second time. In 2001, he polled 1,094 votes, or 2.8per cent, against sitting MP Gordon Prentice.

In Rossendale and Darwen, UKIP is putting up a candidate - Marilyn Bysh - for the first time.

Overall, Mr Straw is facing six opponents in the battle to keep the seat he has called his own since 1979.

The Tories have selected Dewsbury lawyer Imtiaz Ameen, while the Lib Dems have selected Darwen man Anthony Melia. The British National Party has picked local man Nick Holt, who has stood in two previous council elections but failed to win a seat.

The Green Party representative with be local 'Stop the War' group leader Graham Carter, while former TV presenter and re-born politican Robert Kilroy-Silk has confirmed his new Veritas party - also on an anti-Europe ticket - will be standing against Mr Straw.

Mr Straw could not be contacted for comment today. Previously, he has welcomed opposition as an integral part of the democratic process.