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A New Brighton resident has explained why he is standing as an independent candidate in the upcoming Makerfield by-election, despite not living in the constituency.
According to Birkenhead News, Paul Gould, who describes himself as a proud Mancunian, currently lives on the Wirral but grew up in Stockport and has family roots across Greater Manchester. In the region, Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham already has a 10-point lead.
Mr Gould said he decided to stand because of concerns over the proposed Peak Cluster project. For those who don't know, this is a £5 billion scheme that would transport carbon dioxide from the cement industry via a 120-mile pipeline and store it beneath the Irish Sea. It runs from the Peak District all the way to the Wirral coastline.
There's already been over £28 million allocated to the project.
The project has proved to be controversial, although supporters say it will reduce carbon emissions and protect jobs in the industry. Still, critics raised concerns about the environmental impact, how safe the project is, and its substantial cost.
Weirdly, the proposed pipeline won't pass through Makerfield, but Mr Gould thinks the project is a regionwide issue.
Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Mr Gould said in a statement: "I felt if I was going to pay attention to this issue, I really care about what isn’t being discussed – as it’s not very prominent in media nationally, nationally it’s clearly a non-starter, and it’s almost not mentioned at all."
Despite opposition, the project still seems to be going ahead.
Mr Gould questioned whether public money could be better spent on helping households lower their energy bills through measures such as home insulation, solar panels, heat pumps, and electric vehicles.
He argued that investment should focus on practical solutions that directly benefit residents facing rising living costs.
The independent candidate also hopes to hear the views of Burnham on the project, given his staunch support to run.
The Makerfield by-election will take place later this month, with 14 candidates standing.
