CHORLEY has been in Labour hands since 1997 when current incumbent Lindsay Hoyle was elected.

Before that the seat had been Conservative since 1979.

Mr Hoyle, who is the Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons and presided over the House during the past four Budgets, won with a decreased majority of 2,593 in 2010.

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The Conservative challenger is Rob Loughenbury, who works in property development in Manchester and has three children.

The Liberal Democrat candidate is Stephen Fenn, UKIP’s hopes rest with Mark Smith, the Green hopeful is Alistair Straw, Independent Adrian Maudlsey also standing.

Going into the this general election, Chorley is the 94th most marginal constituency, the Conservatives requiring a swing from Labour of 2.6 per cent to take the seat, based on the result of the 2010 poll.

Defending the seat is Lindsay Hoyle. He said: “I have lived in Chorley all my life and that it why I care so passionately about our community.

“I will work to support the most vulnerable individuals and groups across Chorley who have faced difficulties with the cost of living.

“I believe we need to address a number of issues, such as the need to stop exploitative zero hours contracts, increase the minimum wage and help families by extending free childcare.”

Conservative challenger, Rob Loughenbury, 33, said: “On the doorstep some of the main issues I’ve been hearing about are the lack of primary school places in Buckshaw, Euxton and central Chorley.

“Labour-run Lancashire County Council have been given £65million by Government for new school places since 2010, but this has not been well spent and there are acute shortages of school places.

Liberal Democrat candidate Stephen Fenn has lives in Clayton Brook and has resided in the borough for more than 20 years.

UKIP’s Mark Smith is running on a promise of an EU referendum if the party controls Westminster.

One of Green candidate Alistair Straw’s key policies is opposition to fracking and Independent Adrian Maudsley believes the UK should pull out of the EU.

THE CANDIDATES: Stephen Fenn - Lib Dem; Lindsay Hoyle - Labour; Rob Loughenbury - Conservative; Mark Smith- UKIP; Alistair Straw - Green; Adrian Maudsley - Independent.