Shropshire Star

North Shropshire general election guide 2017 - Long-time MP Paterson is unlikely to lose his seat

Of all Shropshire’s parliamentary constituencies, none pose a challenge for non-Tory candidates quite like this.

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Clive Barracks near Market Drayton is due to be closed and Owen Paterson has been vocal about its future

The Conservatives seem to belong in North Shropshire.

The constituency has been presented in the House of Commons by Owen Paterson since 1997.

In only two parliaments since its creation under the Reform Act of 1832 have voters waved off a non-Tory politician to Westminster, with a combined total of five years in parliament for Whigs and Liberals.

This is the beating heart of Britain’s farming industry. Mr Paterson spent nearly two years as Secretary of State for Farming and Rural Affairs.

And the odds are looking good for him to once again retain his seat, with Paddy Power putting his odds at 1/200.

The odds for Labour are 40/1, Liberal Democrats are 22/1 and 150/1 for the Greens.

Mr Paterson’s rivals – Liberal Democrat Tom Thornhill, Labour’s Graeme Currie and Green’s Duncan Kerr – will need a big swing of votes if they hope to make an impression in the constituency.

The big issues facing North Shropshire include much of what’s been at the forefront of resident’s minds for a number of years now, including improving broadband and mobile phone coverage.

Long-time campaigner in the fight for Shropshire to secure decent mobile and broadband coverage, Mr Paterson has described the county’s network as not fit for purpose and has told mobile phone bosses that they are putting lives at risk by not improving reception in rural parts of the county.

He also fears it has been the cause of the closure of some businesses.

Earlier this year it was revealed phone company EE had pledged to bring 4G to 92 per cent of the UK this year following a meeting with Mr Paterson.

Another key issue has been plans to upgrade one of the region’s major routes.

The planned upgrade of the A5 and A483 recently moved a “huge step forward” after a Government minister announced it would be assessed as part of a key road investment strategy.

Roads minister John Hayes.said the Government is listening to the concerns of people who use the roads or live nearby, after a highways report found that congestion on the A5 north of Shrewsbury and A483 around Oswestry is worsening, impacting safety, economic growth and the environment.

With North Shropshire being largely populated by farmers, low milk prices remain a big issue in the region.

And dairy farmers received a fresh blow this month after Market Drayton-based dairy giant Muller said it was to cut the price it pays farmers for milk after the long-awaited rebound in the value of dairy produce ground to a halt.

The yoghurt and butter maker is to cut its standard price by 0.5p per litre to 26.19p from June 9.

On a brighter note, there is also the potential for some exciting new developments in the area in the coming years.

One of the largest will be the redevelopment of Clive Barracks near Market Drayton which the MoD plans to close by 2022.

Mr Paterson, who has been keen to hear people’s views on what should happen to the site, believes it prevents an opportunity to boost the region’s economy.

He has himself suggested the site would be the perfect home for Jaguar Land Rover’s electric car project.

Meet the candidates

Owen Paterson

Owen Paterson – Conservative

The Whitchurch-born Cambridge graduate has held the seat since 1997, when he inherited the Conservative candidacy from long-time constituency MP John Biffen.

He has risen within the party ranks to hold key positions including Northern Ireland Secretary, before taking over as Environment Secretary.

The North Shropshire MP will stand again and backs what has become known as a “hard Brexit” or tough negotiations and a full split from the European Union.

Graeme Currie

Graeme Currie – Labour

Graeme Currie, who is from Bagley, near Ellesmere, has been confirmed as the Labour’s parliamentary candidate.

Mr Currie was previously the Labour Candidate in the 2015 General Election.

He is married to Lorraine and they have two children – Grace, 23, and Ethan, 20.

Mr Currie is a qualified social worker, who runs his own independent social work business.

The 60-year-old moved to North Shropshire 14 years ago from Manchester.

He also previously ran as Labour’s Candidate for Shropshire Council in Oswestry in 2013 and in his home area of Ruyton and Baschurch in this year’s local elections.

Tom Thornhill

Tom Thornhill – Liberal Democrat

North Shropshire local Tom Thornhill is to stand on behalf of the Liberal Democrats.

Mr Thornhill was previously the party candidate in the 2015 General Election and in doing so was the youngest candidate in any seat in the county.

The trainee teacher and charity worker, who is 22 years old, is promoting a liberal, open, tolerant Britain.

He is a proud Salopian and passionate pro-European.

Mr Thornhill, who grew up in Whitchurch, joined the Liberal Democrats shortly after 2010, before he became a student.

Duncan Kerr

Duncan Kerr – Green Party

Just days after learning he had lost his seat on Shropshire Council, the Green Party’s Duncan Kerr has learned he has been chosen to challenge for the North Shropshire seat in the general election. He was the party’s first councillor on the local authority after taking the Oswestry South ward in a by-election last year.

A children’s social worker, he has supported local campaigns such as Frack-free North Shropshire, 20’s Plenty and the Oswestry Equality Group in his role as a Green Party activist.

Profile: True blue for entire history

Established for the 1832 general election, North Shropshire has been held by the Conservative Party for almost its entire existence.

However, the constituency was abolished in 1885 and re-created in 1983. The rural seat of North Shropshire stretches across the whole county, dotted with small towns, villages, castles and other ancient landmarks.

It includes market towns such as Wem, Whitchurch, Market Drayton and Oswestry, thought to be named after King Oswald of Northumbria who died in the 7th Century.

The late John Biffen, the former Conservative cabinet minister, was the MP here from 1961 until 1997. He was succeeded by Owen Paterson, who has also been a cabinet minister, in 1997.

In 2010, Mr Paterson won with a majority of 15,800 and 51 per cent of the vote. The Liberal Democrats had a 21 per cent share and Labour 18 per cent.

In 2015 Mr Paterson once again retained his North Shropshire constituency seat with an increase in his majority. He took 27,041 votes in the seat.

Labour’s Graeme Currie narrowly beat Ukip’s Andrea Allen into second place, while Tom Thornhill, representing the Liberal Democrats, came fourth and the Green Party’s Duncan Kerr came fifth.

Mr Currie received 10,547 of the votes, Ms Allen 9,262, Mr Thornhill 3,148 and Mr Kerr 2,575.

It was a fairly large turnout in the North Shropshire constituency. A total of 52,693 votes were cast, which represented 66.84 per cent of people who were registered to vote.

Wind turbines, gas drilling and solar farms were among the topics that had dominated pre-election debates in North Shropshire – and they will continue to be the big issues.

Previous results:

2015: OWEN PATERSON (CON) - 27,041 Graeme Currie (Lab) - 10,547 Andrea Allen (Ukip) - 9,262 Tom Thornhill (Lib Dem) 3,148 Duncan Kerr (Green) - 2,575 CONSERVATIVE MAJORITY - 16,494

2010: OWEN PATERSON (CON) - 26,692 Ian Croll (Lib Dem) - 10,864 Ian McLaughlan (Lab) - 9,406 Sandra List (Ukip) - 2,432 Phil Reddall (BNP) - 1,667 Steve Boulding (Green) - 808 CONSERVATIVE MAJORITY - 15,828

2005: OWEN PATERSON (CON) - 23,061 Sandra Samuels (Lab) - 12,041 Steve Bourne (Lib Dem) - 9,175 Ian Smith (Ukip) - 2,233 CONSERVATIVE MAJORITY - 11,020

2001: OWEN PATERSON (CON) - 22,631 Mike Ion (Lab) - 16,390 Ben Jephcott (Lib Dem) - 5,945 David Trevanion (Ukip) - 1,165 Russell Maxfield (Ind) - 389 CONSERVATIVE MAJORITY - 6,241