Report by NICK SMITH

WITH the Eddisbury by-election looming, Conservative candidate Stephen O'Brien set about making himself known to the people of Winsford last Thursday.

This isn't an easy job. I asked 10 people in town if they could name the MP who had just resigned.

When asked, only one came up with the answer - Sir Alastair Goodlad.

Sir Alastair has been the Conservative MP for Eddisbury, which includes Winsford, for 18 years. Now, with a by-election on July 22, all the parties are getting ready for battle once again.

Mr O'Brien, who was brought up in Chester and has visited Winsford many times before, isn't concerned about the public's apparent indifference to their previous MP's identity.

"I don't think it's a striking statistic," he said.

"I think one out of 10 is probably above average within the country. You would find that of the new Labour cabinet it would be one in 10.

"More to the point is that I'm very much making it my first priority, having been selected only 36 hours ago, to go out and about.

"I have already been to the rural towns and villages, visited firms, Winsford shopping centre and the industrial estate."

The 42-year-old father of three faces a tough challenge in the July 22 by-election, after the majority for the seat at the 1997 general election was culled from 10,996 in 1992, to just 1,185.

"This is a marginal seat and we are fighting it as marginal and fighting to win," said Mr O'Brien.

"I'm delighted to have the opportunity to seek to represent the people and interests of Winsford, the towns and villages.

"It is an opportunity for the people of Eddisbury to elect a new representative who is listening to their hopes and concerns.

On a personal note, the lawyer, who lives in Chichester, would see his election to the seat as the ideal welcome home.

He said: "I'm pleased to have the chance to build upon Sir Alastair Goodlad's many years of dedicated service.

"It has been a wish of mine to stand in the north west and in Cheshire and this happened to arise. It would be a great honour to be MP and to come home to Cheshire."

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.