Jo Platt announces candidacy to regain MP seat in Leigh

In what she describes as the "honour of her life", Ms Platt represented Leigh between 2017 and 2019 after Andy Burnham's decision to step down as the town's long-standing MP.

Following a snap election in 2019, Ms Platt lost the historically Labour stronghold to Conservative MP James Grundy.

Jo Platt succeeded Andy Burnham as the Labour MP for Leigh in 2017

In the turbulent years following the general election, she has spent much of her time working on regeneration projects at Leigh Spinners Mill; helping to repurpose the historic landmark as a space for local businesses and cultural organisations to operate.

She has also continued to campaign on political issues, including lobbying the Government to research the long-term health impacts of Long Covid, after dealing with the debilitating illness herself.

Ms Platt has worked on regeneration projects at Leigh Spinners Mill after she lost her seat in 2019

Speaking about her decision to step back into national politics, Jo said:

"After I lost the seat in 2019, there wasn't much time for reflection as we almost went straight into the pandemic and I found myself campaigning, with Covid, from bed.

"From then on, I realised I never want to take a back seat and I'm always going to be political - it's inbuilt in me."

If re-selected as the Parliamentary candidate for Leigh, Jo says she hopes to build on the success of the Spinners Mill project as well as "appropriately funding" our public services to tackle local issues such as rough sleeping, mental health issues, drug and alcohol abuse, and anti-social behaviour.

Admitting that Labour "lost the trust" of voters in 2019, she stressed it is vital to reach out to communities and understand their concerns while tackling these local issues.

Despite receiving offers of employment in London following the disappointment of 2019, Jo said that the passion she has for her hometown has made it impossible for her to work anywhere else.

Jo Platt said she wants to "finish the job she started"

She added: "I wouldn't want to work or be an MP anywhere other than Leigh - it's where I've grown up and where my kids have grown up.

"Two years definitely wasn't long enough for me to finish what I wanted to do, and tackle the political issues and limited life chances that affected my life, and many other lives growing up in Leigh.

"I need to finish the job I started and I've got to give myself a shot of having that opportunity again - I'd kick myself if I didn't."