ELECTION 2017: Bradford East constituency profile

SEVEN candidates will go head-to-head in what has been one of the most talked-about constituencies during this election campaign.

The seat was only introduced in 2010 following the abolition of the Bradford North constituency, and has seen two fiercely contested elections in its short history.

David Ward won the seat for the Liberal Democrats by the slimmest of margins in 2010, before losing his seat to Imran Hussain for Labour.

Mr Hussain will be hoping to retain the seat in eight days' time and build on his 7,000 majority with bookmaker Ladbrokes listing him as 1/10 odds-on favourite to win.

One man hoping to take control over Bradford East from Mr Hussain is David Ward, however this time it is as an Independent rather than as a Lib Dem.

He was suspended by Lib Dem leader Tim Farron in April shortly after being announced as the party's candidate for Bradford East over past comments he had made for which he had been accused of anti-Semitism.

He has been replaced by Preston-born Mark Jewell, but Bradford’s Lib Dem group has been in disarray after the national party suspended the local executive committee last Friday pending an investigation into whether it had been undermining the campaign of its official candidate by aiding Mr Ward.

Mr Jewell, whose campaign is now being run by the party’s regional office, will be hoping the constituency’s strong Lib Dem presence at Council level will translate into votes at the General Election, although this vote may be split between him and Mr Ward.

Mr Ward will be hoping his track record as a councillor and MP over the last 30 years will sway Lib Dem voters to choose him on June 8, however the bookies have the Lib Dems at 10/1 and Mr Ward at 20/1.

Mark Trafford is representing the Conservatives, who are second favourites at 8/1 despite coming third at the last two elections, and almost 15,000 votes behind Labour in 2015.

Following the Brexit vote, UKIP and its candidate Jonathan Barras could be drifting into political obscurity, which is reflected by odds of 100/1, shared with Andy Stanford and the Green Party, and Better for Bradford candidate Paul Parkins, who is recovering after being struck with a blunt object by a stranger in Centenary Square last week.

IN THEIR OWN WORDS: Bradford East candidate statements

The word on the street

Pat Whitford (top left), 77, a retired nursery teacher from Fagley, said: "I haven't decided who I will be voting for yet, but education is the biggest issue for me. There are so many houses being built and the schools are bulging at the seams. We need more schools to be built."

Pamela Pickard (top row, second left), 55, a local government officer from Undercliffe, said: "I'm still not 100 per cent sure who I will vote for. I normally vote Labour but I don't trust Jeremy Corbyn with our defence and the economy, but for me the biggest issue is the future of our NHS."

Henry Korol (top row, second right), 62, retired, of Apperley Bridge, said: "Where I live they are building houses willy-nilly and the roads are already congested and can't deal with teh traffic, so I will be voting for David Ward because he is the only one who has done anything for this area."

Muhammad Azeen (top right), 29, a software engineer from Thackley, said: "I'm considering who to vote for. The biggest issue for me is the Conservatives keep making promises but they need to start fulfilling them, including on jobs, schools, the NHS and the economy."

Gill Evans (bottom left), 48, a learning mentor from Idle, said: "Education is without a doubt the most important issue for me. I work in a school and we are having to cut staff when what we need is more staff to meet the needs of the children."

Pete Thomas (bottom middle), 64, retired, of Apperley Bridge, said: "I have already done a postal vote and I voted Conservative. We need somebody strong in the negotiations over Brexit, and Theresa May is the only person who can lead this country."

Naseem Anzar (bottom right), 45, a self-employed courier from Thackley, said: "I will be voting Labour in the General Election. For me schooling, crime and littering in the local area is the biggest issue that needs addressing at the moment.

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