“PEOPLE nationally are fed up of the Tories. People locally, especially throughout St Helens South and Whiston, are fed up of Labour.”

That is what an independent candidate in the general election said he has been hearing since the start of this campaign.

James Tasker, an independent councillor in Rainhill, is vying to become the MP for the St Helens South and Whiston seat in Thursday’s parliamentary election.

Discussing how his campaign has been going and what voters on the doorsteps have been telling him, he said: “Whilst most politicians like to hide away, I always try and be as accessible as possible.

“If you want change then you have to go out and get it.

“We’ve had Labour MPs in St Helens South & Whiston for decades, through both Conservative and Labour governments, yet we’ve seen a decline in services and facilities throughout both.

“We’ve never had a strong voice that genuinely cares about our community, and particularly one that isn’t tied down by a party whip. That’s where I hope to step in and change things for the better.”

With St Helens a Labour stronghold in general elections, Mr Tasker faces a huge task to unseat the incumbent Marie Rimmer, but he pointed to his council ward of Rainhill, where he was the first independent elected in 2018, with the ward now having three independent councillors, and all 14 parish councillors in Rainhill now independent, saying this showed change is possible.

“If the public have the desire for change, which is exactly what I’m hearing from the majority of the public here, then the public will vote for change,” he added.

“Independents do make a difference across the country. If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you always got. It’s time for change.”

“As I said, the public want change nationally, and they’ll get that. The result of the election nationally is a given.

“That gives us a free vote in St Helens and a chance to make a real and positive change locally. I’ve been overwhelmed by the support of the public who have been utterly amazing.

“I don’t have the big party backing and funding behind me, but the public have helped raised funds, they’ve delivered leaflets, they’ve put up posters and they’ve spread the word. I can’t thank them enough for, but if I’m elected, I will thank them by being there for them and genuinely representing their issues.”

READ > A look at the general election candidates for Knowsley

Mr Tasker added: “I’m born and bred here in St Helens South & Whiston. I genuinely love the place and the people. It deserves a far better representation than it has had in the previous two decades.”

He claimed many communities that have remained loyal to Labour locally, have been “badly let down and forgotten about over the years”, saying “we’ve had libraries closed, swimming pools closed, parts of our parks sold off, the green belt has been decimated and is no longer safe and we’ve had repeated failed promises over the town centre. Whiston, which falls under Knowsley Labour Council, has also been forgotten about. Nobody is listening to them. I certainly will.”

Mr Tasker said that from being out on the campaign trail leafleting and at meet and greet events, “the message that I’m constantly getting back is that Labour are nowhere to be seen, and they haven’t been for years. They get elected and then disappear. They don’t respond when we have issues. They are invisible. I want to change that.

“I want to make that difference, be visible, offer that change and represent these good people who deserve so much more than what they’ve had previously”.

He accused Labour of being “complacent” and “taking our votes for granted”.

Mr Tasker added: “I’m not taking anything for granted. I’m here to work hard. I want to facilitate change.

“I’m going to make things better for our communities in St Helens South and Whiston and I can only do that by working with the people, listening to the people, getting residents on board and communicating what I’m doing back to everybody.”

The dad-of-two added: “I’m a believer that with the right passion, tenacity and a desire to succeed, I can help to deliver the change that the people of St Helens South and Whiston so desperately crave. The general election nationally is a done deal, so let’s look after ourselves. Vote for change, vote for Tasker.”

St Helens South & Whiston candidates 

Emma Ellison - Conservative Party

Terence Price - Green Party

James Tasker - Independent

Marie Rimmer - Labour Party

Brian Spencer - Liberal Democrats 

Raymond Peters - Reform UK