All the Corby and East Northamptonshire constituency general election candidates

The 2024 General Election is less than 48-hours away and we’ve compiled a guide to the runners and riders hoping to become Corby and East Northamptonshire’s next MP.

There are six candidates for the seat – which is considered to be a key marginal for the Conservatives and Labour.

We’ve put together a list standing in alphabetical order.

The polls open at 7am and close at 10pmon Thursday (July 4). You won’t need your polling card but you will need photo ID for the first time in a general election.

LABOUR – LEE BARRON

Lee was previously a Labour councillor in Northampton, where he grew up. A former postman and union rep, he went on to become regional secretary for the Trades Union Congress and was chosen as the Labour candidate for Corby last year.

He has promised to see through the new development at Corby’s Willowbrook Health Complex and wants to help improving access to doctors and dentists.

He also says he hopes to restore the faith of local people in politicians.

Lee recently welcomed Labour’s Deputy Leader Angela Rayner to the town, where she visited with her battle bus.

INDEPENDENT – KAREN BLOTT

A law graduate and mum-of-five, Karen says she’s ‘sick to death of the old boys’ club’. She crowdfunded part of her deposit and says politicians of all parties ‘have only made things worse’.She says rewilding, 20mph zones, and 15-minute neighbourhoods, are rules made up to ‘add more control.’Karen, who grew up in Ringstead, describes herself as an ‘ordinary person’ who wants to ban second jobs for MPs, reduce laws in general and return to ‘freedom of thought’. Karen also wants to lobby for a secure border manned by military and supports the clearance of migrant hotels. She frequently shares posts about conspiracy theories including chemtrails on social media and in a recent post said, of Vladimir Putin, ‘What a statesman’.

GREEN PARTY – LEE FORSTER

Lee, who grew up in Corby, is no stranger to local democracy and has stood for election as a councillor several times. He has consistently campaigned against the construction of giant incinerators in Corby, including staging a one-man peaceful protest in 2015.

He is described on his biography as a ‘dedicated local campaigner’.

He is the coordinator of Corby Green Party and committee member at North Northants Green Party. He also has two sons and regularly DJs around the area in his spare time.

LIBERAL DEMOCRAT – CHRIS LOFTS

Chris, who is married with two daughters, has lived in the county since 1986. He is a former council officer and former deputy chief executive of South Northamptonshire Council. He has also been a Towcester town councillor and mayor, a South Northamptonshire Council member and a former county councillor.

He has also volunteered with local charities including Age UK, Citizens Advice and Norpip. He is currently a Trustee on the Hawksmoor Learning Trust that delivers primary school education in the county. He also volunteers at the National Trust’s property at Canons Ashby and has a keen interest in environmental issues.

Chris says he ‘wants to see change at Westminster’ and says it is time to ‘rebuild trust’ and create links between central government and the electorate.

If elected, he says he will work to ensure more homes are built where they are needed and fight for improved access to NHS dentists and GPs.

REFORM – EDDIE MCDONALD

The Reform candidate is a former police officer of 30-years and holds a third Dan black belt in Ju Jitsu. He helps run a martial arts club in Northampton. He says he campaigned for Brexit but ‘was betrayed by our politicians’.

Eddie decided to stand after realising ‘shouting at the telly wasn’t going to change anything.’

He says he has lived in Northamptonshire since 1976 and in the constituency for a decade with his schoolteacher wife. His four children went to school in Corby.On his priorities, he says he will help change the ‘broken’ health service and hopes for a ‘renewed respect for education’.He says Reform is the only party that has said it will ‘stop the boats’. He says the justice system needs to ‘get tough on criminals’.

CONSERVATIVE – TOM PURSGLOVE

Tom has been Corby’s MP since 2015 and was latterly the Conservative Government’s Immigration Minister.

He was educated at Sir Christopher Hatton school in Wellingborough and was brought up in the town. He now lives in an East Northamptonshire village.

A Brexiteer, he was a founder of the Grassroots Out campaign with Reform hopeful Nigel Farage and former Wellingborough MP Peter Bone.

During the campaign, Tom says he has secured a £20m levelling-up investment in Corby should be be re-elected. He also opposes incinerator plans for Corby.

A keen cricketer, he has welcomed sports minister Stuart Andrew to the constituency during his general election campaign, as well as Home Secretary James Cleverly.