Local elections in Wirral and throughout the United Kingdom are due to be held on Thursday 4 May 2023.
The move to whole council elections will mean that from this year the council elections will be held once every four years, rather than previously being held in three out of every four years. The change comes after councillors passed a resolution to change to whole council elections.
The UK Government has introduced a requirement for voters to show photo ID when voting at a polling station.
This new requirement will apply for the first time in England at the local elections on Thursday 4 May 2023. From October 2023 it will also apply to UK General elections.
Valid Photo ID
You may already have a form of photo ID that is acceptable as you can use any of the following:
- Passport issued by the UK, the Channel Islands, Isle of Man, British Overseas Territories, an EEA state or a Commonwealth country
- Driving licence issued by the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man or an EEA state
- Biometric immigration document
- Identity card bearing the Proof of Age Standards Scheme hologram (a PASS card)
- Ministry of Defence Form 90 (Defence Identity Card)
- Blue Badge
- National identity card issued by an EEA state
- Older Person’s Bus Pass
- Disabled Person’s Bus Pass
See the full list of acceptable ID on the Electoral Commission website 
birkenhead.news contacted the four main parties – Conservative, Green Party, Labour and the Liberal Democrats – and asked them to provide a 200-word Wirral-wide manifesto. Below, in alphabetical order by party name, are each of the party’s responses.
The main image shows the local party leaders – Top left: Janette Williamson, 
Labour, Top right: Tom Anderson, 
Conservative, Bottom left: Pat Cleary, 
Green Party, Bottom Right: Phil Gilchrist, 
Liberal Democrats.
Conservatives
The elections for local councillors will be the last in Wirral until 2027. So it matters who is elected and that they do better than the last 10 years.
Here in Wirral, with a Labour-led Council, four Labour MPs, a Labour Metro Mayor and a Labour Police Commissioner it is important that there is constructive opposition.
If our Borough follows Liverpool and becomes a ‘one party state’ then we will end up with the same problems faced by that city.
That’s one of the reasons why more and more people vote differently at different elections – choosing the candidates and parties they feel are best to represent them. This helps to provide the checks and balances that ensure any proposals and plans are questioned and challenged.
We’ve seen in recent years how more Labour councillors can’t or won’t do that. Too often they are told what to do and ‘whipped’ into supporting proposals that do not have wider support in the community. More Labour councillors after 4th May are not the answer.
Find out more at https://www.wirralconservatives.org.uk/
Green Party
Following last year’s record gains for the Greens in Wirral we are approaching these elections in buoyant mood. Wirral residents have seen that electing Green councillors means a hard-working year-round presence in their area. They also see us standing up for a fairer, greener borough.
Our key promise to voters is to continue working hard by engaging with residents and following up on the things that matter to them. Official data from Wirral Council clearly backs this up. In 2022 the typical Green councillor reported 273 issues on behalf of residents. This was way ahead of the Lib Dems (84) and Labour/Conservative (both 37).
By electing Green councillors, residents know their area will get the attention it deserves.
Greens have led the way in promoting social justice and protecting services. When Labour and Tory councillors voted to close libraries and leisure centres, Green councillors voted to save them. Green gains have forced the council to:
- adopt a brownfield first policy for new housing thereby preserving our precious greenbelt,
- end spraying/raking our beaches,
- implement energy saving measures in council buildings,
- preserve more of our green spaces to protect and enhance biodiversity.
You can read more about our policies at: https://wirral.greenparty.org.uk/policy-statement/
Labour
Labour’s priority is the people of Wirral, and providing a safe, well-maintained and inclusive borough.
The Conservative government talks about levelling up, while delivering further austerity and cuts. Labour puts promises into action.
Our commitment to the environment is key, and our Local Plan protects Wirral’s green spaces, putting new housing only on brownfield sites.
The regeneration of areas including Birkenhead, Wallasey, Seacombe and New Brighton is exciting.
Labour councillors are community councillors who roll their sleeves up and get involved. We ensure that residents’ voices are heard.
This year we have saved youth services and play schemes including The Addy, Gautby Road Playscheme, The Hive, The Beechwood Playscheme and Pilgrim Street, giving young people somewhere to go.
We avoided moving Birkenhead Central Library and Wallasey Central Library and the closure of nine libraries – Beechwood, Eastham, Greasby, Leasowe, Moreton, Rock Ferry, St James, Seacombe and Upton.
We also stopped the closure of a leisure centre and two swimming pools and retained maintenance of parks, countryside, street cleansing and alleyway clearance.
We saved the community patrol team and CCTV control room, helping reduce nuisance crime.
The Wirral Conservatives voted against all of this.
Please use all of your votes for Labour.
Find out more at https://www.facebook.com/WirralLabourOfficial/
Liberal Democrats
Our aim is to make Wirral Council efficient, responsive and compassionate.
Our vision has these priorities –
- Defending the Local Plan and Green Belt to eliminate building on greenfield sites, while facilitating ‘brownfield’ development to provide the new dwellings our community needs.
- Improving services to meet the needs of elderly residents, supporting them to remain in homes adapted for their needs.
- Reducing Wirral’s carbon footprint by increasing the energy efficiency of more homes, through schemes that secure reliable ways to help households save on their heating bills.
- Planning for improved leisure facilities which reduce energy usage and an offer that competes with the private sector,
- Improving services for children with special needs and disabilities. Being more responsive to parents to ensure that children are in the setting most appropriate to their needs.
- Working with other agencies to end the dumping of sewage in our rivers and the sea.
- Using regeneration grants to build a better Wirral Ensuring that these are spent with a clear vision of the Wirral we want to hand on to future generations.
- Putting extra cash into repairing our deteriorating roads, as the Government’s ‘pothole’ funding is not keeping pace with the need.
Find out more at https://wirrallibdems.org.uk/en/
Following is a full list of Wirral candidates listed alphabetically by surname. Where a candidate’s name is in italics, it denotes that that person is the sitting councillor.
Bebington (Three councillors to be elected)
| Party | Candidate |
|---|---|
| Green | Judith Grier |
| Green | Ed Lamb |
| Liberal Democrats | Anthony Molyneux |
| Conservative | Nicola Oakley |
| Labour | Kaitlyn Peterson |
| Labour | Callum Stuart |
| Conservative | Barry Tunna |
| Conservative | Christine Tunna |
| Green | Jason Walsh |
| Labour | Robert Ward |
| Freedom Alliance | Catherine Williams |
Bidston and St James (Three councillors to be elected)
| Party | Candidate |
|---|---|
| Conservative | Wendy Clements |
| Green | Jayne Clough |
| Freedom Alliance | Malcolm Davis |
| Green | Craig Fitzpatrick |
| Conservative | Jonathon Goldsmith |
| Green | Millie Gorman |
| Labour | Liz Grey |
| Labour | Brian Kenny |
| Conservative | Tina McDonnell |
| Labour | Julie McManus |
| Liberal Democrats | Mike Parsons |
Birkenhead and Tranmere (Three councillors to be elected)
| Party | Candidate |
|---|---|
| Conservative | Richard Baker |
| Green | Pat Cleary |
| Labour | Helen Collinson |
| Freedom Alliance | Catherine Evans |
| Conservative | Ada Lewis |
| Labour | Julienne McGeough |
| Labour | Piara Miah |
| Green | Amanda Onwuemene |
| Liberal Democrats | Edward Smith |
| Green | Ewan Tomeny |
| Conservative | Colin Young |
Bromborough (Three councillors to be elected)
| Party | Candidate |
|---|---|
| Labour | Brenda Ashton |
| Green | Jo Bird |
| Conservative | Gillian Byrne |
| Conservative | Des Drury |
| Labour | Finlay Gordon |
| Conservative | Eleanor Johnson |
| Freedom Alliance | Stephanie McGarry-Gribbin |
| Green | Ruth Molyneux |
| Green | Keiran Murphy |
| Labour | Sue Percy |
Clatterbridge (Three councillors to be elected)
| Party | Candidate |
|---|---|
| Conservative | Helen Cameron |
| Green | Dan Gorman |
| Labour | Jenny Holliday |
| Labour | Michael Holliday |
| Conservative | Mary Jordan |
| Green | Jim McGinley |
| Freedom Alliance | Pamela Peacock |
| Conservative | Cherry Povall |
| Liberal Democrats | Christopher Raymond |
| Green | John Rodgers |
| Labour | Joanne Smith |
Claughton (Three councillors to be elected)
| Party | Candidate |
|---|---|
| Conservative | Charles Assa |
| National Housing Party UK | Gary Bergin |
| Green | Susan Braddock |
| Labour | George Davies |
| Liberal Democrats | David Evans |
| Labour | Stephen Foulkes |
| Green | Liz Heydon |
| Conservative | Andrew Hodson |
| Green | Perle Sheldricks |
| Conservative | Sheridan Tear-Edmonds |
| Labour | Gillian Wood |
| Liberal Democrats | Roy Wood |
Eastham (Three councillors to be elected)
| Party | Candidate |
|---|---|
| Liberal Democrats | Christopher Carubia |
| Conservative | Denise Crossley-Williams |
| Labour | Melinda Downey |
| Liberal Democrats | Phillip Gilchrist |
| Conservative | William Harland |
| Green | Joy Hogg |
| Green | Percy Hogg |
| Conservative | Philip Merry |
| Freedom Alliance | Sarah of the House of Blackburn |
| Green | Peter Rand |
| Liberal Democrats | Helen Raymond |
| Labour | William Smith |
| Labour | Nicole Williams |
Greasby, Frankby and Irby (Three councillors to be elected)
| Party | Candidate |
|---|---|
| Liberal Democrats | Alan Brighouse |
| Independent | David Burgess-Joyce |
| Green | Miriam Cooke |
| Conservative | Tracy Elzeiny |
| Freedom Alliance | Rosie Evans |
| Conservative | David Fairbairn |
| Green | Tom Green |
| Labour | Gail Jenkinson |
| Conservative | Darren May |
| Labour | Grahame McManus |
| Green | Cathy Page |
| Labour | Mark Skillicorn |
Heswall (Three councillors to be elected)
| Party | Candidate |
|---|---|
| Labour | Sophia Ballantyne |
| Liberal Democrats | Elizabeth Brame |
| Conservative | Graham Davies |
| Conservative | Andrew Hodson |
| Conservative | Kathryn Hodson |
| Liberal Democrats | David Jones |
| Freedom Alliance | Donna Lyons-Whearty |
| Labour | Michael Royden |
| Labour | Jimmy Sergi |
| Liberal Democrats | Philip Waterfield |
Hoylake and Meols (Three councillors to be elected)
| Party | Candidate |
|---|---|
| Conservative | Max Booth |
| Labour | Paul Carney |
| Green | Fintan Cleary |
| Green | Alix Cockcroft |
| Conservative | Tony Cox |
| Conservative | Andrew Gardner |
| Liberal Democrats | Tom Hughes |
| Liberal Democrats | Ian Johnson |
| Labour | Sheila Murphy |
| Green | Julian Priest |
| Freedom Alliance | Colin Roper |
| Labour | David Sindall |
Leasowe and Moreton East (Three councillors to be elected)
| Party | Candidate |
|---|---|
| Conservative | Tracy Blackburn |
| Green | Katie Bristow |
| Conservative | Neil Cartwright |
| Labour | Angie Davies |
| Green | Michael Dixon |
| Independent | Karl Greaney |
| Labour | Paul Jobson |
| Labour | Louise Luxon-Kewley |
| Freedom Alliance | Juliette Mantley |
| Liberal Democrats | Chase Newton |
| Green | Holly Turner |
| Conservative | Jonathan Yongjiang Wang |
Liscard (Three councillors to be elected)
| Party | Candidate |
|---|---|
| Reform UK | Daniel Bruffell |
| Green | Helen Burnham |
| Conservative | Stephen Dobson |
| Liberal Democrats | Vicky Downie |
| Green | William Gorman |
| Labour | Daisy Kenny |
| Green | Peter Lageard |
| Labour | James Laing |
| Conservative | Lesley May |
| Conservative | Jane Owens |
| Freedom Alliance | Lynsey Welsh |
| Labour | Janette Williamson |
Moreton West and Saughall Massie (Three councillors to be elected)
| Party | Candidate |
|---|---|
| Conservative | Colin Baldwin |
| Conservative | John Bennett |
| Labour | Mark Cawood |
| Green | Hilary Cullen |
| Green | Rick Hughes |
| Freedom Alliance | Niamh McGarry-Gribbin |
| Labour | Katherine Stuart |
| Labour | Maegan Stuart |
| Liberal Democrats | Christopher Teggin |
| Liberal Democrats | Robert Thompson |
| Green | Jane Turner |
| Reform UK | Paul Whelligan |
| Conservative | Vida Wilson |
New Brighton (Three councillors to be elected)
| Party | Candidate |
|---|---|
| Green | Alexandra Badwi |
| Green | Andrew Bennett |
| Freedom Alliance | Dermot Bolger |
| Conservative | Andrew Gilfoyle |
| Liberal Democrats | Charlie Houghton |
| Labour | Tony Jones |
| Conservative | Ann Lavin |
| Labour | Paul Martin |
| Conservative | Elizabeth Murphy |
| Labour | Sue Powell-Wilde |
| Green | Cynthia Stonall |
Oxton (Three councillors to be elected)
| Party | Candidate |
|---|---|
| Labour | Clint Agard |
| Liberal Democrats | Allan Brame |
| Labour | Tony Cottier |
| Green | Allan Goode |
| Reform UK | Philip Griffiths |
| Green | Rachel Heydon |
| Liberal Democrats | Stuart Kelly |
| Conservative | Jon Loach |
| Conservative | Freda Punnen |
| Liberal Democrats | Mike Redfern |
| Freedom Alliance | Monika Skinner |
| Conservative | Colin Vallance-Owen |
| Green | Alex Wallis |
Pensby and Thingwall (Three councillors to be elected)
| Party | Candidate |
|---|---|
| Labour | Ann Ainsworth |
| Green | Allen Burton |
| Conservative | Ivan Camphor |
| Conservative | Mike Collins |
| Conservative | Leah Fraser |
| Green | Marilyn Jones |
| Labour | Finlay Gordon |
| Freedom Alliance | William Parry |
| Green | Mark Reeves |
| Labour | Mike Sullivan |
| Liberal Democrats | Judith Wolf |
Prenton (Three councillors to be elected)
| Party | Candidate |
|---|---|
| Labour | John Ainsworth |
| Conservative | Michael Clements |
| Green | Christopher Cooke |
| Conservative | Mark Davey-Hayford |
| Freedom Alliance | Lily Evans |
| Conservative | Sibani Ghosh |
| Green | Harry Gorman |
| Green | Naomi Graham |
| Labour | Rachel Millard |
| Liberal Democrats | Jonathan Richardson |
| Liberal Democrats | David Tyrrell |
| Labour | Archie Wood |
Rock Ferry (Three councillors to be elected)
| Party | Candidate |
|---|---|
| Conservative | Susan Amyes |
| Labour | Paula Basnett |
| Liberal Democrats | Frank Doyle |
| Conservative | Margaret Kalil |
| Green | Craig McDonald |
| Labour | Tony Murphy |
| Independent | Yvonne Nolan |
| Green | Helen O’Donnell |
| Green | Gareth Rowlands |
| Reform UK | Tony Stanley |
| Conservative | Paul Taylor |
Seacombe (Three councillors to be elected)
| Party | Candidate |
|---|---|
| Freedom Alliance | Paul Cardin |
| Conservative | Bobby Cartwright |
| Labour | Tom Laing |
| Conservative | Adele Lumb |
| Liberal Democrats | Anthony Morris |
| Green | Hannah Rapley |
| Conservative | Evelyn Sorrell |
| Green | Sarah Spoor |
| Labour | Kaitlin Stuart |
| Labour | Paul Stuart |
| Green | Rae Voller |
Upton (Three councillors to be elected)
| Party | Candidate |
|---|---|
| Conservative | Johnathan Andrew |
| Labour | Stephen Bennett |
| Conservative | Andy Brown |
| Freedom Alliance | Debbie Cameron |
| Green | Lily Clough |
| Liberal Democrats | Alan Davies |
| Conservative | Thomas Maxwell |
| Green | Nadia Parsons |
| Labour | Jean Robinson |
| Green | Tim Watson |
| Labour | Jerry Williams |
Wallasey (Three councillors to be elected)
| Party | Candidate |
|---|---|
| Freedom Alliance | Matthew Chell |
| Liberal Democrats | John Codling |
| Labour | Graeme Cooper |
| Green | Ryan Davies |
| Green | Moira Gommon |
| Green | Jane Gorman |
| Labour | Brenda Hall |
| Conservative | Steven Hoey |
| Conservative | Ian Lewis |
| Labour | Saul Murphy |
| Conservative | Lesley Rennie |
| Liberal Democrats | John Uriel |
| Reform UK | Lynda Williams |
West Kirby and Thurstaston (Three councillors to be elected)
| Party | Candidate |
|---|---|
| Green | Karen Brenchley |
| Green | Barbara Burton |
| Liberal Democrats | Ross Campbell |
| Liberal Democrats | John Cresswell |
| Conservative | Jeff Green |
| Conservative | Jenny Johnson |
| Labour | Paula Kenny |
| Labour | Mary MacEwan |
| Conservative | Simon Mountney |
| Liberal Democrats | Peter Reisdorf |
| Labour | Elizabeth Watkins |
| Freedom Alliance | Pat Whearty |
| Green | Mark Wilde |
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