Local elections in the United Kingdom are due to be held on 6 May 2021 for 145 English local councils, including Wirral. On the same day as the council elections, Wirral residents will vote for a new Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner, as well as the Liverpool City Region Mayor.
In March 2020 the government announced that the elections scheduled for 7 May 2020 would be delayed for a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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 in random order – Top left: Janette Williamson, Labour, Top right: Phil Gilchrist,
Liberal Democrats, Bottom left: Pat Cleary,
Green Party, Bottom Right: Jeff Green,
Conservative.
Conservatives

The last 12 months have been extraordinary for Wirral. We must not waste the amazing work of our GPs & NHS who are vaccinating us out of the pandemic. We must use the extra funding Wirral has received from the government wisely and start to rebuild Council services in a way that engages the public in their design and implementation.
Our young people have really suffered during the past year, we want to extend social and cultural opportunities for young people, utilising the extra £200,000 proposed by Conservatives and included in the Council budget, to expand facilities and increase ‘detached youth work’ to engage with groups of young people helping channel their energy and exuberance into constructive and safe activities.
We believe Wirral should be clean and green. This means protecting our Greenbelt from the Council’s ‘Local Plan’ and developers. We believe more should be invested in services that keep our streets clean and grass verges well maintained.
The Council must learn the lessons from the current situation in Liverpool. The public’s money must be spent wisely. We must get maximum value from every pound the Council spends. Everything the Council does must be transparent and responsive to public scrutiny.
Find out more at https://www.wirralconservatives.org.uk/
Green Party

Wirral Council is changing and Green councillors have played a huge role in delivering that change. Those Wirral residents who voted Green in 2019 have been rewarded by the ditching of unpopular policies. That is because Green wins have led to a more balanced council.
We can now build on these achievements and help create a more socially just Wirral fit for the 21st century and the climate emergency. Key to that will be holding the Council’s feet to the fire on its commitment not to build new housing in the greenbelt. Not only is it essential to protect our green spaces and prevent urban sprawl but regenerating East Wirral as a green, attractive place that people want to live in and visit is fundamental to addressing many of our social problems.
New and existing housing must be fit-for-purpose. Investing in modern transport networks that avoid the mistakes of the past and create genuinely sustainable new communities is essential. So too is prioritising our key town centres.
The council has produced an exciting vision for the future of Birkenhead and wider East Wirral. Electing more Green councillors is the best way to turn that vision into reality.
Find out more at https://wordpress.greenparty.org.uk/wirral/
Labour

Wirral Labour’s post-covid recovery strategy is inclusive, green and ambitious, incorporating large scale regeneration plans and local wealth-building projects.
Labour will provide value for money for Council Tax payers, making our immediate environment clean, safe and welcoming with well-lit, well-maintained streets.
Labour will protect our cherished greenbelt and green spaces, providing high-quality affordable homes and business spaces, on brownfield sites.
Labour’s green agenda has already switched our buildings, schools and streetlights to 100% renewable energy and planted 21,000 trees. The Pollinators’ Plan will help our bees and butterflies.
We’ll continue to improve our leisure services – our municipal golf courses, leisure centres and swimming baths – after saving them in our unanimously-voted budget.
We’ll deliver regeneration in Birkenhead, New Ferry and Liscard, transforming our town centres.Labour will continue to put communities at the heart of the council – to work with volunteers and local businesses. We will build wealth in our communities from the ground up, while keeping profits in the borough to invest back into the local area.
Our community bank will support small businesses and individuals, as the closure of high street branches has left many us unable to access a local bank.
Find out more at https://wirrallabour.co.uk/
Liberal Democrats

Changing Wirral for the better.
Wirral needs a plan for recovery, as does our whole nation. Government funding has not met all the costs from the pandemic. Even so, we have kept as many services running as possible, safeguarding valued local facilities.
Wirral, with high levels of deprivation, still needs a fairer funding settlement from the Government. The funding model that relied on business rates from shops and offices is broken.
We will continue our work to get the basics right, so that the way Wirral looks will improve, tackling fly tipping,
road repairs and neglect wherever possible. We will work to improve standards in the care sector.
The hopes and dreams of young people have been set back by this lost year. We will build back services for young people that provide counselling, hope and a new resilience for their future.
The all-party approach to regenerate Birkenhead and avoid building on the Green Belt has widespread support. We have long recognised the value of our farmland and countryside. Developers who challenge the Council’s plan to retain the Green Belt will be strongly resisted.
We will plan for more 20 MPH areas so Wirral’s people will enjoy quieter, safer neighbourhoods.
Find out more at https://wirrallibdems.com/
Following is a full list of Wirral candidates. Where a candidate’s name is in italics, it denotes that that person is the sitting councillor.
Bebington
Party | Candidate |
---|---|
![]() | Vicky Downie |
![]() | Geoff Jones |
![]() | Christina Muspratt |
![]() | Jason Walsh |
Bidston and St James
Party | Candidate |
---|---|
![]() | Diane Johnson |
![]() | Tina McDonnell |
![]() | Julie McManus |
![]() | Mike Parsons |
Birkenhead and Tranmere
Party | Candidate |
---|---|
![]() | June Cowin |
![]() | Emily Gleaves |
![]() | Susan Mahone |
![]() | Edward Smith |
Bromborough
Party | Candidate |
---|---|
![]() | Jo Bird |
![]() | Anthony Drury |
![]() | Sheena Hatton |
![]() | Chase Newton |
Clatterbridge
Party | Candidate |
---|---|
![]() | Christopher Davies |
![]() | Jim McGinley |
![]() | Cherry Povall |
![]() | Daniel Rogers |
Claughton
Party | Candidate |
---|---|
![]() | Gary Bergin |
![]() | George Davies |
![]() | Rania Elzeiny |
![]() | Liz Heydon |
![]() | Chris Teggin |
Eastham
Party | Candidate |
---|---|
![]() | Paul Connolly |
![]() | Phillip Gilchrist |
![]() | Percy Hogg |
![]() | Shab Syed |
Greasby, Frankby and Irby
Party | Candidate |
---|---|
![]() | Tom Anderson |
![]() | Gail Jenkinson |
![]() | Cathy Page |
![]() | Mike Redfern |
Heswall
Party | Candidate |
---|---|
![]() | Barbara Burton |
![]() | Ken Ferguson |
![]() | Kathy Hodson |
![]() | Giuseppe Roberto |
![]() | Robert Thompson |
Hoylake and Meols
Party | Candidate |
---|---|
![]() | Alix Cockcroft |
![]() | Andrew Gardner |
![]() | Matt Houghton |
![]() | Peter Reisdorf |
Leasowe and Moreton East
Party | Candidate |
---|---|
![]() | Debbie Caplin |
![]() | Helen Collinson |
![]() | Michael Dixon |
![]() | John Mullins |
Liscard
Party | Candidate |
---|---|
![]() | Sue Arrowsmith |
![]() | David Brennan |
![]() | Jane Owens |
![]() | Dave Sharp |
![]() | Perle Sheldricks |
Moreton West and Saughall Massie
Party | Candidate |
---|---|
![]() | Max Booth |
![]() | Helen O’Donnell |
![]() | David Tyrrell |
![]() | Paul Whelligan |
![]() | Nicole Williams |
New Brighton (Two councillors to be elected)
Party | Candidate |
---|---|
![]() | Moira Gommon |
![]() | Tony Jones |
![]() | Adam Keenan |
![]() | Paul Martin |
![]() | Darren May |
![]() | Tony Pritchard |
![]() | Charlie Smethurst |
![]() | Cynthia Stonall |
Oxton
Party | Candidate |
---|---|
![]() | Judith Grier |
![]() | Philip Griffiths |
![]() | Paul Jobson |
![]() | Stuart Kelly |
![]() | Phil Merry |
Pensby and Thingwall
Party | Candidate |
---|---|
![]() | Allen Burton |
![]() | Ivan Camphor |
![]() | Phil Waterfield |
![]() | Tim Watson |
Prenton
Party | Candidate |
---|---|
![]() | Angie Davies |
![]() | Harry Gorman |
![]() | Lucy Johnson |
![]() | Hilary Jones |
Rock Ferry
Party | Candidate |
---|---|
Independent | Stephen Davies |
![]() | Nick Hanna |
![]() | Craig McDonald |
![]() | Clare O’Hagan |
![]() | Tom Sutton |
Seacombe
Party | Candidate |
---|---|
![]() | Hilary Cullen |
![]() | Anthony Morris |
![]() | Paul Stuart |
![]() | Vida Wilson |
Upton
Party | Candidate |
---|---|
![]() | Alan Davies |
![]() | Lily Clough |
![]() | Jean Robinson |
![]() | Emma Sellman |
Wallasey
Party | Candidate |
---|---|
![]() | John Codling |
![]() | Rachel Heydon |
![]() | Ian Lewis |
![]() | Tom Usher |
West Kirby and Thurstaston
Party | Candidate |
---|---|
![]() | Yvonne McGinley |
![]() | Simon Mountney |
![]() | Orod Osanlou |
![]() | Louise Reecejones |
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