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General Election 2019: Meet the Altrincham and Sale West candidates

Since its formation in 1997, the seat for Altrincham and Sale West has been held by Conservative Member of Parliament Sir Graham Brady.

It is a safe seat, with over 6000 votes separating Brady from his nearest challenger, Labour’s Andrew Western, in the 2017 general election.

However, this margin is far thinner than the 13 000-strong majority that Brady enjoyed in 2015, so Labour may see this as an opportunity as an important gain come December 12.

Altrincham and Sale West voted overwhelmingly to remain in the 2016 EU Referendum: 61% remain, 38% leave. Brady was a supporter of the Leave campaign.

Altrincham and Sale West is one of Greater Manchester’s most affluent constituencies. In 2014, statistics showed that it had some of the highest house prices outside the south-east. Property there cost about £2 227 per square metre, according to research conducted by Halifax.

Sir Graham Brady (Conservative)

Brady has held the Altrincham and Sale West seat since its inception in 1997. He was Chairman of Conservative 1922 Committee from 2010 to 2019, resigning in May so he could run for leader. He is currently the Acting Chairman of the 1922 Committee after he opted not to continue his leadership bid.

Twitter: @SirGrahamBrady

Councillor Andrew Western (Labour)

Western is the leader of the Labour Group on Trafford Council, holding the position since 2014. He is also a trained civil engineer.

Twitter: @AndrewHWestern

Angela Smith (Liberal Democrats)

Smith was a formerly a Labour MP in Yorkshire: firstly Sheffield Hillsborough in 2005, and then Penistone and Stockbridge after the constituency boundaries were redrawn in 2010. She resigned from the Labour Party in February to form the Change UK party, but subsequently resigned from Change UK in June. In September, it was announced she was to join the Liberal Democrats.

Twitter: @angelasmithmp

Geraldine Coggins (Green)

Coggins is a Green Party Councillor in the Altrincham Ward, having joined the Green Party in 2012. She previously lectured in philosophy at Keele University, publishing a book on metaphysical nihilism in 2010.

Twitter: @CogginsGeraldin

Neil Taylor (Trafford Liberals)

Taylor was formerly a Councillor for Timperley from 2006 to 2014. He is now standing for the Trafford Liberals who ‘exist to build a Liberal Society in which every citizen shall possess liberty, property and security.’

Twitter: @neil_taylor_

Iram Kiani (Independent)

Kiani is a freelance lawyer, having studied at the universities of Manchester and Oxford. For just under nine years she worked as a solicitor at Manchester University where she specialised in intellectual property. Previously a member of the Labour party, Kiani is standing as an independent candidate. Should she be elected as the MP for Altrincham and Sale West, she has said she will “serve the people, not a party and will work tirelessly with other members of Parliament who share my values to drive forward the change this country needs.” She has also been outspoken on issues such as islamophobia and anti-Semitism.

Twitter: @iram_kiani

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