It would take a big swing for the Barrow and Furness seat to fall out of Labour hands for the first time since 1992.

Five candidates are fighting for the seat – Labour’s John Woodcock, Conservative Simon Fell, Liberal Democrat Clive Peaple, Ukip’s Nigel Cecil and Green Party candidate Robert O’Hara.

The battle has taken centre stage in the national news as a row broke out last week between Labour and the Conservatives about policy on nuclear submarines.

Both parties are committed to renewing the Trident system but the Tories claimed Labour would backtrack on the renewal to win the support of the SNP, which would vote to scrap the programme.

Labour has angrily denied the claims, but said they may review the number of subs.

The submarines’ future has huge implications for jobs in Barrow, with around 6,500 people employed at the shipyard, and has always been perhaps the most crucial issue facing the area.

Since the constituency was created in 1885, it has swung between Labour and the Conservatives, but has been considered a ‘safe’ Labour seat since 1945, only shaken up between 1983 and 1992.

During this time the seat was held by Conservative MP and former Manchester lawyer Cecil Franks, who would ask of those determined to elect a Labour candidate for the shipyard town: “What will the lads do on Monday?”

It was directed at the Labour Party, which in the 1980s had links with the Campaign For Nuclear Disarmament (CND) which wanted nuclear missiles scrapped – despite the implications for the shipyard.

Mr Franks eventually lost the seat to New Labour candidate John Hutton, who went on to hold the Furness constituency for 18 years.

In 2010 Mr Hutton was replaced as MP by Labour’s John Woodcock, who won that year’s election with an 11.8 per cent majority.

The last election saw the constituency gain 4,000 extra potential voters due to boundary changes, and also marked the first time the Green Party stood in the area, with their campaign focusing on Ulverston and the villages.

As one of the most important industrial centres in the country, with further huge investments planned at the shipyard and GSK, issues around business and employment are likely to be high on the agenda for the five candidates.

The future of Furness General Hospital and its services is another key issue, with several candidates listing the protection of the hospital as one of their priorities.

Transport and infrastructure improvements between the peninsula and West Cumbria to support investment is also a major factor.

The result will be revealed at around 4am on May 8, after the voting slips have been counted at Barrow Town Hall.

Meet the candidates:

John Woodcock, Labour

John was elected as Barrow and Furness MP in 2010, and has lived on Walney since first becoming a Labour candidate. The father-of-two started his career working as a journalist on the Scotsman before joining the Labour Party. He served as an adviser to former Barrow MP John Hutton in the Cabinet Office and the Department for Work and Pensions and Business, and between 2008 and 2009 he was a political spokesman for Prime Minister Gordon Brown in Downing Street.

Simon Fell, Conservative

Born and raised in Lancashire, Simon now lives in Furness, where his family has lived since the 1600s. He was educated locally and graduated from the University of Warwick with Honours in English Literature. After working in telecoms for a number of years, he is now employed in crime prevention. Simon has also run his own small business and worked in Westminster. He has been a member of the British Council’s TN2020 network of future leaders since 2009.

Nigel Cecil, UK Independence Party

After a lifetime working in industry, including road transport and aviation, Nigel now works in the shipyard at Barrow-in-Furness. He was Ukip’s Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Wyre and Preston North on 2010, which saw him win 4.8 per cent of the vote. He has also fought on behalf of Ukip in three local elections. Now living in Ulverston , he was nominated by Ukip as their replacement candidate after the withdrawal of Noel Matthews.

Clive Peaple, Liberal Democrat

Father-of -three Clive has lived at Mouzel Farm, Dalton, for 14 years with wife Sue. He is a retired headteacher of Cartmel Priory Secondary School and a History graduate with legal training. His 33-year working career includes working with the British Forces in Cyprus, being seconded to the Czech Republic after the ‘Velvet Revolution’ and contributing to the Oxford Drugs Action Team in the 1990s. He also chaired the Rural Academy to bring shared planning to Cumbria’s rural schools.

Robert O’Hara, The Green Party

Robert, a former secondary school teacher, has lived in the Furness area for more than 12 years.
He now runs his own business, as the joint owner of Sefton House guest house, Natterjacks night time coffee house and art gallery in Ulverston.
Robert also describes himself as a local runner, actor and singer, and has appeared in a number of productions at the Coronation Hall.
He represented the Green Party at the Cumbria County Council elections in 2013.

 

Ian Jackson, Independent

Ian Jackson, born in Dalton and now living in Ulverston, served his apprenticeship as a fitter and turner in the shipyard and have lived and worked in the Furness area all his life.
He also runs a dog grooming business with his wife.
Mr Jackson stood as a UKIP candidate in Barrow Borough Council and South Lakeland District Council local elections in 2011 and 2012 respectively.