THURROCK is once again set to be a battleground between mainstream politics and the British National Party after the right wing group declared candidates in all 18 council wards up for grabs in next month's local elections.
The BNP will be looking to build on the platform created last year, when it polled almost 25 per cent of the votes cast in the borough, but failed to pick up any seats.
Labour will also fight all the wards, with the Conservatives fielding candidates in all the seats except the independent stronghold of East Tilbury.
The election sees a return to the hustings of some well known figures, both nationally and locally.
Derek Beakon came to national prominance in 1993 when he became the BNP's first ever councillor, winning a by-election in Tower Hamlets. He now lives in South Ockendon and will stand in Orsett, where he comes up against Conservative Diane Revell, the current mayor of Thurrock, and Labour's Angela Gaywood.
Former borough mayor Gerard Rice, who was ousted from his Stifford Clays seat in 2004 and failed to get back when contesting a seat in Stanford-le-Hope last year, hopes it will be third time lucky when he stands for Labour in Chadwell St Mary in the seat vacated by veteran councillor Gordon Barton. He will be up against Amanda Redsell (Con), Bryn Robinson (BNP) and Peter Saunders (LibDem).
Two former parliamentary candidates will clash again in Chafford Hundred where incumbent Conservative Garry Hague and Lib Dem Earnshaw Palmer will renew their rivalry, with the ward also being fought by Labour's Martin Healy and Sandra Strickson, BNP Former councillor June Brown, who was deselected by Labour last year, is bidding to win back a Tilbury seat as an independent. The Tilbury Riverside and Thurrock Park ward is promised an emotive campaign as she will be up against Labour's Paul Martin and another former parliamentary candidate Emma Colgate, a prominent BNP activist. Conservative Lee Dove makes up a four way fight.
Among other familiar names on the ballot papers are grieving Thurrock parents Ken and Angela Daly, who mounted a public campaign against a perceived injustice when the man who killed their son received a short jail sentence. They will again stand for the BNP. Former prominent Labour councillor David Hooper and Conservative high flier Georgette Polley will also be seeking to win seats.
The poll on Thursday, May 1 will see a total of 17 Conservative, 18 Labour, eight Liberal Democrat, 18 British National Party and four independent, or other candidates.
The candidates are:
Aveley and Uplands
John Garner, Lab; John Livermore, LibDem; Dave Strickson, BNP; Amanda Wilton, Con.
Belhus
John Biddell, LibDem; Sue Gray, Lab; Lauren Kay, BNP; Georgette Polley, Con.
Chadwell St Mary
Amanda Redsell, Con; Gerard Rice, Lab; Bryn Robinson, BNP; Peter Saunders, LibDem.
Chafford and North Stifford
Garry Hague, Con; Martin Healy, Lab; Earnshaw Palmer, LibDem; Sandra Strickson, BNP.
Corringham and Fobbing
John Cecil, Lab; Ian Harrison, Con; Warren Parish, BNP.
East Tilbury
Bradley Elvin, BNP; Felton Flavius, Lab; Barry Palmer, Ind.
Grays Riverside
Paul Coutts, Con; Claire Jones, LibDem; John Kent, Lab; Jamie Strickson, BNP.
Grays Thurrock
Yash Gupta, Lab; William Jackson, LibDem; Leo Milan-Vega, Con; Ricky-Lee Strickson, BNP.
Little Thurrock Blackshots
Alan Broad, UKIP; Dean Kay, BNP; Thomas Kelly, LibDem; Bob Moorman, Lab; Joycelyn Redsell, Con.
Ockendon
Sophie Agass, BNP; Amanda Arnold, Con; Wendy Curtis, Lab.
Orsett
Derek Beackon, BNP; Angela Gaywood, Lab; Diane Revell, Con.
South Chafford
David Hooper, Lab; Adedoyin Ogunfemi, LibDem; Donna Strickson, BNP; Stephen Veryard, Con.
Stanford East and Corringham Town
Dave Amis, Ind WCA; Danny Brown, BNP; Gordon Gambier, Lab; Danny Nicklen, Con.
Stanford-le-Hope West
Clive Broad, UKIP, Terry Hipsey, Con; Anita Jessop, BNP; Anita Nuss, Lab.
The Homesteads
Suzanne MacPherson, Con; Anthony Sharp, Lab; Paul Woodley, BNP.
Tilbury St Chads
Angela Daly, BNP; Kay Mangion, Con; Lynne Worrall, Lab.
West Thurrock and South Stifford
Ken Daly, BNP; Gareth Davies, Con; Oliver Gerrish, Lab.
Tilbury Riverside and Thurrock Park (by-election)
June Brown, Ind; Emma Colgate, BNP; Lee Dove, Con; Paul Martin, Lab.
Key: BNP-British National Party, Con-Conservative Party, Ind-Independent, Ind WCA-Independent Working Class Association, Lab-Labour, UKIP-UK Independence Party.
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