Gordon Birtwistle & Burnley Liberal Democrats

Q: What’s the biggest issue at this election

Gordon: Undoubtedly the state of our hospital services.  If closing the emergency service at our A&E wasn’t bad enough then closing the children’s ward is the last straw for many people.  My worry is there is worse to come.  Labour have told local health bosses to cut £50 million over the next three years.  Those health bosses say they are the most severe cuts they’ve experienced so I have real worries about how things will end up.

Q: Has anyone listened to your campaign over the years?

Gordon: They certainly have.  18 months ago we presented the Health Trust with a 101 page dossier of complaints.  After reading it they made 30 recommendations for improvements.  And we have seen services, like the out of hours GP service, slowly return to Burnley.

Q: Going back a few years, what’s your background in this area?

Gordon: Well I’ve lived in Burnley for 33 years but I grew up in Oswaldtwistle.  It was after leaving school that I was apprenticed to Howard & Bullough in Accrington – I remember one of the great things about starting at that firm was that they had on-site baths. That made a change from the tin bath in front of the fire I was used to!

The idea of Apprenticeships is something I think is missing in education today.  Some children don’t want more classroom learning when they get to 16, they want the chance to get practical skills in the workplace.

Q: Is that engineering background useful on the Council.

Gordon: It gives me an understanding of the problems of businesses, particularly in manufacturing.  Bringing  manufacturing jobs back to Burnley is the key to our future.  As Council leader I’ve been able to help our local Colleges buy some of the hi‑tech equipment that is needed to learn the skills modern manufacturing needs. That helps people in the jobs market because they have the training and skills employers need.

Q: What first got you involved in politics then?

Gordon: The main reason I got involved was it gave me a chance to work for my local community.  My first venture into politics was actually as a Labour Councillor in Great Harwood in the 1970s, but that before Tony Blair even joined the Labour party!

I helped form the SDP and first stood in Burnley in 1982.  I lost!  But only by 8 votes.  I made sure I learned from that and went on to win the following May.

Q: What has given you the most satisfaction?

Gordon: Being a councillor gives you a real opportunity to work with local people.  Over the last few years the press have been quick to run Burnley down, particularly when the BNP were at their height.  But there are so many people in Burnley with energy and a commitment to working to improve their communities. It was so frustrating seeing them blocked when Labour were in charge.

Seeing something like the new University campus being opened is so rewarding.  Labour turned down the chance to have a University here in the 1960s.  Young people in Burnley now will get opportunities their parents never had.

Q: What are the biggest issues that face us today?

Gordon: It all comes down to the economy.  Burnley’s future depends on attracting employers to the town who bring quality, well-paid jobs.

There are firms out there, big companies like Aircelle and McBrides who have invested in Burnley and brought jobs for local people.

The new industrial park at Burnley Bridge which I fought to get underway will bring more jobs too.

But if employers are struggling  to find the skilled workers, they need, we’ll miss out.  That’s why it’s so vital that we keep investing in local education to get the maximum benefits from the new University.