Northern Independence Party confirms its candidate in the Hartlepool by-election

The membership of the Northern Independence Party has selected Thelma Walker as their candidate in the by-election on Thursday, May 6.

In an announcement on the party’s official Facebook page it said: “With 69.7% of the vote, our membership has chosen Thelma Walker as the Northern Independence candidate in the coming Hartlepool by-election.

“Congratulations Thelma!”

It was followed by the hashtag freethenorth.

Ms Walker was formerly Labour MP for Colne Valley in Yorkshire from 2017 to 2019.

The Northern Independence Party is urging people to vote for her to improve local hospitals and schools, provide new green well-paid jobs, revolutionise Hartlepool’s economy and reject the Westminster establishment.

Founded just last year, Ms Walker will be the party’s first Parliamentary election candidate.

The Northern Independence Party describes itself as a democratic socialist party that campaigns to end the north/south social divide.

It says it is fighting for a “better, fairer and freer North for all”, a green industrial rebirth, and wants a referendum on independence for the North.

Ms Walker is the latest candidate to announce they will run for election to replace Labour’s Mike Hill who resigned two weeks ago.

Mr Hill has so far not commented on why he stood down after almost four years as the town’s MP.

Other confirmed candidates in the by-election include Dr Paul Williams (Labour), Jill Mortimer (Conservative), David Bettney (Social Democratic Party) and Hilton Dawson (the North East Party).

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