A COUNCILLOR and City of Culture 2025 bid manager says he plans to stand to become MP of a Bradford district constituency.

Cllr Si Cunningham, who represents the Bolton and Undercliffe ward as a councillor, wants to be chosen as the Labour Party’s MP candidate for the Shipley seat at the next election, whenever it is called.

He revealed he has received the support of the UNISON Yorkshire & Humberside union for his nomination.

 

He says he hopes to win the seat from Conservative MP Philip Davies, who has been Shipley’s MP since 2005.

Cllr Cunningham tweeted: “I’m seeking the Labour nomination to be the next Member of Parliament for Shipley. I’m so thrilled to be off to a winning start by securing the support of my union, UNISON .”

Cllr Cunningham was the Bradford City of Culture 2025 bid manager and lives in the Shipley Parliamentary constituency and was appointed as the chairman of the Bradford Civic Society in 2017.

At the last election, held in December 2019, Mr Davies held the Shipley seat with 27,437 votes. Labour’s candidate Jo Pike got 21,195 votes, while Liberal Democrat candidate Caroline Jones got 3,188. The Green Party’s Celia Hicks secured 1,301 and The Yorkshire Party’s Darren Longhorn scooped up 883 votes.