Can Labour win in Wellingborough six months on?

Gen Kitchen celebrating the Wellingborough by-election win
Gen Kitchen (with the rosette) won the Wellingborough by-election earlier this year [PA Media]

Voters in Wellingborough will go to the polls for the second time in less than six months to choose who they want as their MP.

In February, Labour overturned a 18,540 Conservative majority to win a by-election in the Northamptonshire constituency.

Now in the general election, the party will look to hold on to the gain it made.

The vote will be almost 140 days on from the by-election and it is not just the weather which has changed from February - some of the candidates have too.

Why was there a by-election?

Peter Bone
Peter Bone was removed as MP for Wellingborough triggering the by-election [PA Media]

The previous MP Peter Bone lost his seat after being removed by constituents in a recall petition after he was suspended as an MP.

Labour's Gen Kitchen won the by-election with a majority of 6,436.

The Conservative candidate Helen Harrison came second with Reform UK, third.

Has the constituency changed?

Two chairs on a jetty at Rushden Lakes
Rushden has been added to the name of constituency and the boundary has changed [BBC]

Not only has the constituency undergone boundary changes, it has also had a name change, now known as Wellingborough and Rushden.

Part of Irthlingborough has been added to the constituency, but rural areas south of Wellingborough will be transferred to South Northamptonshire.

While Daventry will take on towns north of, and including parts of, Glenvale Park, as well as Wilby and Great Doddington.

What are the issues?

George Sidey with folded arms in an office
George Sidey says he has issues booking a GP appointment [BBC]

During the by-election campaign issues such as the cost of living, town centres, roads, housing, the NHS, and crime came up.

Now in the general election similar issues concerned residents.

George Sidey from Higham Ferrers says it is a "sorry state of affairs to try and get a [GP] appointment".

He said he was recently queueing outside his surgery before it opened with "10-15 people" to get an appointment.

"It's easier to queue rather than phone [which] can take 45 minutes to hour to get through," he said.

Mr Sidey, who works in an architects, said he had heard "mixed things" on GPs in other places in the area.

"Some are the same and some are not as bad," he added.

Helena Bailey smiling
Helena Bailey wants more help with the cost of childcare [BBC]

Helena Bailey in Wellingborough said "the cost of living and child care costs" worried her.

"Things are getting better, but once you go to work and do a shift and pay for nursery you don't get much money after," she added.

Ms Bailey, who runs a mums and tots group in the town said she wanted to work more and her daughter to go to nursery.

"But it's just not feasible and not worth it with the money," she explained.

Who is standing?

Gen Kitchen smiling
Labour's Gen Kitchen will defend the seat she won in the by-election [PA Media]

Only two of the candidates who stood in the by-election are up for election again.

One is Gen Kitchen who will again try to win the seat she won earlier this year for Labour.

Ben Habib with two thumbs up
Reform UK's Ben Habib came third in the by-election and will be standing again [PA Media]

Another familiar face from the by-election will be Reform UK's Ben Habib.

One of the party's most prominent candidates he will look to build on the 13% of the vote he won earlier this year.

David Goss in front of a fire engine
David Goss is standing in the Wellingborough by-election for the conservatives [David Goss]

The Conservatives have a new candidate in the form of David Goss, who has worked for the party in various roles including the Department for International Trade.

The Liberal Democrats also have a different candidate in Christopher Townsend.

While the Green Party is represented by Paul Mannion, who also did not stand earlier this year.

None of the independent candidates are standing, nor is Nick the Flying Brick from the Monster Raving Looney Party or Britain First.

But the Social Democratic Party is fielding a candidate with Jeremy Britton.

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