What you need to know about St Helens South and Whiston this general election

St Helens is split into two constituencies, St Helens South and Whiston and St Helens North.

Here you’ll find all of the candidates in St Helens South and Whiston, the key issues facing voters and what is likely to happen come election day.

Who is standing?

Labour: Marie Rimmer

Conservatives: Richard Short

Green Party: Kai Taylor

Liberal Democrats: Brian Spencer

Brexit Party: Daniel Oxley

What are the key issues?

The regeneration of St Helens town centre is a huge issue with voters, especially given its decline in recent years.

This year alone the high street has lost Marks & Spencer and Argos and Topshop in Church Square Shopping Centre also shut its doors in July.

St Helens Council’s ambitious regeneration plans, which were first unveiled in 2017, have yet to get into gear.

Whoever is elected will need to fight tooth and nail in Westminster to get the funding that is desperately needed to revitalise St Helens’ town centre.

The same goes for Rainhill, another area that has been promised regeneration. by the council.

St Helens South and Whiston covers some of the most deprived areas in the entire borough, such as the Town Centre and Thatto Heath.

Quality employment opportunities within St Helens and properly funded schools should help address this.

Greater funding for public services, including mental health services and adult social care, will also be an important issue for voters.

A rise in knife crimes and other violent crimes is also a concern, with voters seeking more funding for the police and other blue-light services.

The NHS is vitally important for the people of St Helens South and Whiston.

Voters will hope whatever party is in government will provide the health service with the funds they so desperately need.

And then of course there is Brexit, which is still a key, if tired, issue for the people of St Helens South and Whiston.

What's likely to happen?

St Helens South and Whiston and St Helens South before it has been a Labour stronghold since 1983 when the constituency was first created.

Marie Rimmer has held the seat since 2015.

The former leader of St Helens Council increased Labour’s share of the vote to 67.8 per cent in 2017, securing the most votes in the seat to date.

The Conservatives also grew their share of the vote in 2017 but still only received 21.8 per cent of the vote.

Labour could take a hit, with Ms Rimmer’s popularity facing a stern test due to frustrations over Brexit.

It is likely that some leave voters who have traditionally voted Labour will back Nigel Farage’s party.

However, even if that happens, it still seems unfathomable that Labour will lose the seat.

That said, it is hard to predict just how big a backlash – if any – Labour politicians will face in St Helens over their current position and past comments on Brexit.

Realistically, it would take a backlash of monumental proportions to usurp Labour from a seat it has always held – but these are unusual and unpredictable times.