THE Brexit Party has unveiled its candidate to contest the Leigh constituency in the upcoming general election who says he will "represent the people not the elite".

James Melly has been announced as prospective parliamentary candidate for the Brexit Party in Leigh for the December 12 election.

James, who is married with three young children, will contest the constituency standing against the incumbent Labour's Jo Platt.

“I was born in Wigan and have lived in and around Leigh for most of my life,” said James.

“I’m not a career politician. I am just a working class man who wants the best for my home town.

Leigh voted to leave the EU but it has been denied Brexit by its current Labour MP.

“In my current job I work to help tenants and work closely with the local councils and Universal Credit everyday to help prevent homelessness. I understand the problems both working people and unemployed people face.

“As a family we also have a small business so I also understand the challenges small business owners face."

James added: “I had always voted Labour, I thought they stood for people like me. Labour have run the council and represented Leigh in parliament for decades since closing the pits.

“It is time Leigh has someone like me as an MP who will work hard to improve the lives of people. It is wrong that some people just want to further their own career and never be seen in the area once they have been elected,” said 43-year-old James.

“The town doesn’t have an A&E department and doesn’t’ even have a train station which I strongly believe we should have. This great and proud town should be benefitting from the success of Manchester.

“I will listen to what people want and fight for this town. I don’t want another 20 years to pass by with no improvement.

“I believe Parliament does not want working class people like me in government as I will represent the people not the elite but it’s time for something new and I want to get Leigh the help it deserves,” he said.

The UK voted to leave the European Union in the referendum of June 2016, with 63.9 per cent of voters in the borough electing to leave.

However, the Brexit deadline was delayed again until January 31, 2020 and Britain will head to the polls on December 12 after enough MPs voted in favour.

The Prime Minister had pulled his Brexit Bill after MPs rejected its three-day timetable in the Commons.

The Brexit Party has vowed to contest every seat if Boris Johnson presses ahead with his Brexit withdrawal agreement and rejects a 'Leave alliance' electoral pact.

The party has been touted as a threat to Labour in some Leave voting constituencies and it topped the national vote in May's European elections.

James' selection for Leigh was welcomed by Brexit Party North West MEP Henrik Overgaard-Nielsen, who said, “James is a local man who lives and works in the area and knows it extremely well. He understands the problems faced by local people on a day to day basis and is well equipped to represent their interests in parliament.”

Richard Tice, Brexit Party Chairman, added: “The Brexit Party stands ready to fight a general election with a full slate of candidates in all the UK’s 650 constituencies. We will take on the major parties, which have failed the British people time and time again.

“The vast majority of our candidates are entering politics for the first time and they come from all walks of life, backgrounds, races, and religions. Their greatest strength is that they are not professional politicians, but are competent individuals, connected to their local areas and issues they seek to represent. They have achieved great things in their professional or personal life from entrepreneurs, small business owners and economists - to teachers academics, forklift driver and bankers.

“But we all share a commitment to deliver Brexit, defend democracy and change politics for good."