Lancaster election candidates ‘disappointed’ over comments from church leader after cancellation of hustings event

The Bishop of Blackburn, the Rt Revd Philip North, had been due to chair the hustings in St Thomas’s Church, Lancaster, on Tuesday evening.

Candidates from the Labour Party, the Conservative Party, the Liberal Democrat Party and the Green Party were attending.

But The Bishop of Blackburn tweeted on Twitter/X: “Bitterly disappointing that the @UKLabour @Conservatives and @LibDems candidates all pulled out of the Lancaster and Wyre hustings at just a few hours’ notice.

"Voters need and deserve these opportunities to meets their potential representatives.”

The Church Times said on Tuesday evening that Bishop North said: “The parties aren’t really prioritising in-person hustings.

“What we’re seeing is the ‘TikTokification’ of politics; that social media and national push matters more than local candidates meeting local voters, and that’s a real loss, I think, to our public life.”

He also said in another article run by the Religious Media Centre that hustings have been cancelled in his diocese “with candidates citing instructions from party HQ as the reason for withdrawing.’

Peter Cartridge, Conservative party candidate for Lancaster and Wyre said: “I tested positive for Covid-19 the day prior to the hustings, and the moderator was informed that day.

“There was a high chance of medically vulnerable people attending, so Cat Smith and I proposed an alternative date of June 26 to safeguard others.

"This proposal was agreed in principle by all candidates.

“I'm disappointed by the Bishop's take on the situation.

"An alternative date was proposed, and we do have a couple more hustings before the election.

"This isn't a case of parties not prioritising hustings; it's simply safeguarding the health of others.”

Cat Smith, Labour party candidate for Lancaster and Wyre: “The Tory candidate had Covid-19 so it was unfair to go ahead with the hustings without him.

"It was totally pointless so I said let’s try and get it so you can be there.

"We are holding one in Wyre next week in person.

"I absolutely want to take part in them (the hustings).

"Elections should be fair and it was unfair to do the hustings without the Tories.

"I’m not one of those that avoids hustings.

"I just didn’t want it to go ahead without the Tory candidate there.”

Matthew Severn, Liberal Democrat candidate for Lancaster and Wyre, said: “All candidates were informed by the organiser at 2pm on the day of the hustings that the Conservative candidate had withdrawn.

"At 4pm the Labour candidate informed the organisers and all other candidates that they were therefore withdrawing as well.

“Upon seeing that now two candidates had withdrawn, at 4.30pm, and after seeking advice from the Liberal Democrats, I informed the organisers and all other candidates that unfortunately without neither the Conservative or Labour party attending I would be unable to attend as well.

"I was happy to proceed with one missing but not with both, as leaving just two candidates left from a ballot paper of five would be unfair.

“I was very sad not to be able to attend the hustings and my offer of attending a future one still stands.”

The Bishop of Blackburn responded to the election candidates comments saying: “The churchful of constituents should be disappointed at this very very last minute cancellation.

"To cancel at such notice was treating them very poorly.

"The cancellations of hustings represents an alarming trend of parties relying on national broadcasts and social media before the elections and distancing themselves from those they are representing.

"It is their own MP people will be voting for. If you can’t meet or question your own candidates then we have a big problem on our hands.

"I hope the rest of the hustings go ahead so we will wait and see what happens.”