FORMER Mayor of Burnley Gordon Birtwistle is bidding to become the town's next MP after he was named as the Liberal Democrats' parliamentary candidate for the next general election.

Councillor Gordon Birtwistle stood as the candidate in the 1992 and 1997 elections, but was taken off the national party's approved list of candidates after the 1997 campaign because he had called for the then Mayor of Burnley to resign as a councillor following a conviction for public indecency.

He applied to be put back on the list earlier this year and put his name forward to the Burnley Liberal Democrats who made the final choice on who would stand.

Coun Birtwistle, 60, has represented Coalclough with Deerplay ward for 21 years and was the borough's mayor in 2002/2003.

He has started his campaigning by sending out leaflets across the borough setting out what he will be fighting for.

Among his aims will be the return of skilled jobs to the borough to tackle the loss of manufacturing.

He will also focus on litter, housing and equal allocation of funds.

Coun Birtwistle said: "I wasn't going to go for it, but so many people have approached me and said I did a good job as mayor, raising the profile of the town, that I should stand again to be the MP, so I thought I would give it a go. I am not as young as I was so this is really my last chance to try and win the seat.

"The Labour Party have selected a candidate parachuted in from London and that is not what the people of Burnley want.

"They want someone who knows the area and will fight for it, and that is what I will do."

During his career Coun Birtwistle has led the campaign against Lancashire County Council's decision to close care homes for the elderly and raised cash to buy a life-saving scanner for Burnley General Hospital.

The former Great Harwood Labour councillor was a founding member of the SDP in Burnley 15 years ago.

Born in Oswaldtwistle, he lives in Glen View Road, Burnley.