General Election 2024: news from the campaign trail in Kettering, Corby and East Northamptonshire, and Wellingborough and Rushden

Here we take a look at what’s been going on in Kettering, Corby and East Northamptonshire, and Wellingborough and Rushden, with many candidates recently selected and campaigning ramping up ahead of the July 4 poll.

In Wellingborough and Rushden the Conservatives have selected David Goss as their candidate as they bid to turn the constituency blue again, opting against choosing Helen Harrison – the partner of disgraced former MP Peter Bone – for a second time.

Mr Goss, who is Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s deputy political secretary, will attempt to take the seat from Labour who only won it at a by-election in February.

He is also a councillor on Buckinghamshire Council and in a video posted on social media said he was delighted to be standing in the general election.

He said: “I’ve been in the Conservative Party for over 20 years and I’ve got 20 years of campaign experience. I’m going to be using all of that campaign experience to turn Wellingborough and Rushden blue again at the upcoming General Election on July 4. I’ve got experience inside and outside politics and I’m looking forward to getting out there, hitting the campaign trail and meeting as many of you as possible on the doorstep because I want to hear your concerns and the issues that matter to you.”

Labour’s Gen Kitchen is preparing for her second election in five months and is hoping to retain her seat after her victory earlier this year, where she overturned a majority of more than 18,000.

She told the Northants Telegraph she’s planning on running her campaign for the General Election using the same pledges as the by-election, which include the likes of improving the town centre, fixing potholes and tackling knife crime.

She said: “It’s still on those pledges because they still come up all the time on the doors, and it’s a case of ‘look what I’ve started, help me finish’.”

This week she officially opened SERVE’s new charity shop in Rushden and was out speaking to people in Higham Ferrers, where she said she’d be following up on concerns over anti-social behaviour and parking with the council.

Christopher Townsend has been selected as the Liberal Democrats’ candidate, having served as an elected councillor for Dacorum Borough Council in Hertfordshire for 16 years.

His pledges include addressing the shortage of NHS dentists and GPs in the area, tackling the environmental crisis by supporting renewable energy and improving care for vulnerable adults.

He said: “I know all about the challenges of delivering policy in the real world, and I have always been honest with voters about those challenges. We must not promise everything to everyone.”

Reform UK’s co deputy leader Ben Habib has announced he is standing again after coming third in February’s by-election and he is hoping to pick up a bigger share of the vote.

He said: “I’m going to stand in Wellingborough again, and I’m very much looking forward to reconnecting with the people of Wellingborough.

"I’m going to be taking a flat in Wellingborough and I’m going to be spending a lot of time there over the next few weeks. That’s a matter of fact.”

Paul Mannion has now been confirmed as the candidate for the Green Party and has vowed to only take the average East Midlands salary if elected, putting the remaining £58,000 a year into constituency projects. He currently works as a sub-post office assistant and courier. He previously ran his own business as a sub-postmaster.

He said: "The number one campaign priority will be around the decades long lack of investment our constituency has received. We can all see how badly run down our towns are. This has been no accident. It has been down to decades of the same failing economic orthodoxy.”

The Social Democratic Party (SDP) is also fielding a candidate, with Jeremy Brittin their name on the ballot. He’s vowed to fight for local issues, including supporting the objections of Finedon residents to Kettering Energy Park plans.

He said: “I grew up spending much of my childhood in our wonderful countryside and fishing our River Nene and still do today. My own ancestors farmed its land for hundreds of years. Our local rural community and farmers are part of the fabric of the county. I fully support the residents of Finedon and surrounding areas in their objections to the proposed Kettering Green Energy Park.”

In Kettering the Conservative candidate Philip Hollobone, who was involved in a war of words this week after claiming Labour would ‘shelve’ the plan to rebuild Kettering General Hospital if it won the election, has been out knocking on doors in Rothwell, Kettering, Mawsley and Loddington, as well as attending a Hanwood Park community meeting with its developers. He has been campaigning with a big emphasis on the money a Conservative government has already allocated to the KGH rebuild.

This week some of his election material caught the eye of Kettering resident Steve Esler, who took a closer look at an image of a couple on the front of the Conservative candidate’s leaflet which said he was ‘working for the people of the Kettering constituency’. A reverse image search revealed the couple pictured were not from Kettering, but that it was a stock image which had also been used on a German website.

Mr Esler said: “I find the Conservative Party's constant misleading approach to the way they campaign and indeed run the country no longer shocking, but depressingly predictable. I strongly suggest that whenever you get campaign leaflets or statements from any political party that you check everything that is stated.”

Mr Hollobone said it was a ‘desperate claim’.

Labour’s Rosie Wrighting launched her campaign in Kettering last weekend with support from East Midlands Young Labour. She said she is committed to the rebuild of KGH and would campaign ‘day and night’ for it if she is elected.

She said: “The rebuild of Kettering General Hospital is long overdue. Patients have been let down by 14 years of Conservative neglect of the health service.

“Despite promising the people of Kettering and North Northants to get it done at the last election, the Tories have moved at a snail’s pace, and patients are paying the price.”

She’s been out knocking on doors in Barton Seagrave, Little Stanion, KLV and more.

The Liberal Democrats have announced that Sarah Ryan will be their candidate at the General Election, and she’s pledged to fight for a fairer society.

She said: "I believe that Kettering deserves a strong and progressive voice in Westminster, someone who will stand up for the interests of the people, not the privileged few.”

Green Party candidate Emily Fedorowycz held a campaign kick-off party at the Eden Centre in Kettering on Friday (May 31) and tickets sold out in just over a week. She set out her vision for the constituency and took questions from those attending.

Ms Fedorowycz said: “I want to bring positive politics to our area. So many people are fed up with the political point scoring, so much tribalism and energy wasted not getting on with the issues and actually finding some of the solutions to our problems.

“I’m passionate about putting party politics aside and finding some solutions. I want to do this together – democracy should be ongoing, it should be collaborative. I will be setting up forums on specific topics so if you have a topic that you’re passionate about you can come and talk to me…and in those sessions come up with solutions together.”

Daniel Monie is listed as Reform’s candidate for Kettering online, but we’re yet to hear from him.

Thomas Dudfield has been listed as the Workers Party candidate and Matthew Murphy is standing for the SDP.

In Corby and East Northamptonshire the Conservative candidate Tom Pursglove, who is aiming for his fourth win in a row, was recently visited in the constituency by party chairman Richard Holden, who praised his track record. Mr Holden said: “As always, Tom is campaigning on what really matters to the people of Corby and East Northants.

“These key issues are projects which Labour cannot commit to, and if re-elected on July 4, I know that Tom will do all he can to get these developments over the line.”

Mr Pursglove has been posting daily reasons to back him on social media, recently pointing to rail improvements and millions of pounds in Corby Town Deal funding.

Labour challenger Lee Barron said they had a team out ready to leaflet within an hour of the election being called and that they’ve been out twice a day since. He has moved into a new office in Spencer Court and was joined by shadow cabinet minister Liz Kendall in Raunds on Thursday.

Next week his campaign office will be officially opened. Mr Barron said: “I look forward to meeting as many residents as possible.”

Former county councillor Chris Lofts is the Liberal Democrats’ candidate, having been chosen in February.

Lee Forster, who is standing for the Green Party, has been campaigning for cleaner air for over a decade and played a huge part in raising awareness about the giant waste incinerators planned for Corby.

Edward McDonald is listed as the Reform candidate, with Callan Page standing for the Workers Party.

- If you’re holding a campaign event, or there’s an event we’ve missed, contact us by emailing [email protected]