Jim CRAIG, Green Party

Jim Craig grew up in Runcorn and is a father of three children. He works in the technology industry promoting sustainable ways of working.

Frank HARASIWKA, Liberal Democrat

FRANK Harasiwka has been a member of the party, originally via membership of the Liberal Party, since 1979 and was engaged in the campaign for the Bolton SE seat in the General Election of that year.

His first foray into the political arena was as a candidate in 1981 for one of the Divisions for the Greater Manchester Council elections held in May 1981, culminating in his election as a councillor to Bolton Metropolitan Council in 1987 for the Smithills Ward.  Frank was the party's candidate for the Greater Manchester West European Constituency in 1994 and at the 1987, 1997, 2001 and 2005 General Elections for Bolton SE.

His experience has included being an LEA and parent governor on a number of schools within Bolton for over 20 years and have recently been engaged in the successful bid to run a community nursery, via a not-for-profit company, at one of the Sure Start Children Centres within one of the more deprived areas of the Bolton South East Constituency.

Frank has  a wide range of interests in terms of political issues, but when pressed he would highlight economics, education, foreign affairs and constitutional reform as being both his main interests and ones that he is most knowledgeable about.

Outside his political activities, Frank has held a number of senior operations and finance managerial roles with prominent multinationals and is currently the Chief Operating Officer for a government and industry funded Knowledge Transfer Network. Apart from being professionally qualified, Frank was awarded a Masters degree in Business Administration (MBA) in 2004. He married Roz, his wife, some 21 years ago. She is midwife who works within the community in Bolton and they have three sons at various stages of education ranging from secondary school, sixth form college and university.

Ben JONES, Conservative

BEN Jones currently works for a medical regulator and prior to that worked in management consultancy with Accenture and KPMG.

He was born in Liverpool in 1978 and lived in Rainhill and St Helens. He went to local state primary and secondary schools and was the first member of his family to go to University. He studied Politics at the University of Liverpool.

He now lives in London with his wife and spends time in the North West working, campaigning, and visiting family and friends. He has strong links to the area having grown up nearby and having family living in the neighbouring constituencies.

Gary MARSHALL, English Democrats

(No further information at present)

John MOORE, UK Independence Party

John lives in Chester.

Andrew TAYLOR, British National Party

Andrew Taylor is also standing in the Mersey ward in the Haltion Borough Council elections.

Derek TWIGG, Labour

DEREK Twigg was born and brought up in Widnes and studied at Halton College of Further Education. He started work at 16 years old working as a civil servant for 19 years at the Department of Education and Science (formerly the Department of Employment) in Runcorn.

At 18 years old he became Branch Secretary of the large CPSA union at the Department of Employment serving at both regional and national levels. Dismayed by the Labour Government’s defeat in the 1979 general election, Derek joined the Labour Party. By the age of 21 he was elected to represent the Broadheath and Kingsway wards on Cheshire County Council, winning the seat back from the Tories. That election saw the Conservatives lose their majority on the Council for the first time. He went on to serve on the Education, Transport and Social Services Committee before he stood down from the council in 1985.

In a by-election in 1983 Derek won a seat on Halton Borough Council where he focused on his main concerns: housing and social inclusion. By the age of 26 he had become Chairman of the Housing Committee where he vigorously pursued a policy of modernising Halton’s housing stock and increased tenant participation. Later during his time on Halton Council he served as Chairman of Finance and led on Education during Halton’s successful bid to become a Unitary Authority.

In 1997 Derek succeeded the Rt Hon Gordon Oakes as Member of Parliament for Halton winning with a record majority of over 23,000. On 10th June 1997 Derek made his maiden speech in the House of Commons in the Education (Schools) Bill debate.

During his time in Parliament Derek has served as a member of the Public Accounts Committee. He has been Parliamentary Private Secretary to two ministers, firstly to Rt Hon Helen Liddell MP who was then Minister of State for Energy, and then to Rt Hon Stephen Byers MP when he was Secretary of State for Transport and the Regions. In June 2002 Derek became a Government Whip. 

In December 2004 Derek was appointed as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Schools at the Department for Education and Skills. After the May 2005 General Election Derek was assigned the role of Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Transport. In September 2006 Derek was appointed as Under Secretary of State for Defence and Minister for Veterans at the Ministry of Defence. His primary interests in Parliament are; education, health, economy and local government concerns. Derek left the Government in October 2008, and is working hard in championing the interests of Halton from the back benches.

Derek’s main interests outside of Politics include hill walking, military history, particularly World War Two, Rugby League and football.

(Any further candidates will be added to this profile as we receive their details. If you are a candidate, or a representative, call our newsroom on 01244 606425 to submit information)