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A Trade Unionist And Socialist Coaltion (TUSC) local election candidate from Halton has pledged to donate 10% of his allowances to good causes in his ward if he wins at the ballot box in May.

Darrin Whyte will be standing against Labour stalwart Arthur Cole in Halton Castle Ward on May 7.

Mr Whyte, who Weekly News readers may know from his campaigning for tighter air monitoring in Halton, made the vow as his party revealed its list of contenders for the upcoming local and national elections in the borough.

TUSC’s candidates will be standing in Runcorn and Widnes and against incumbent Conservative MP Graham Evans for the Weaver Vale parliamentary seat, which covers much of east Runcorn, Frodsham, Daresbury and Northwich.

Its hopefuls have slammed the Government’s spending cuts and one contender said he wanted to represent a party which is ‘not ashamed to call itself socialist’.

Mike Powell, of Murdishaw, will stand in Heath ward. He is due to face former mayor, Lib Dem councillor Margaret Ratcliffe.

Paul McCann, of West Bank, will contest Widnes’s Riverside ward against Labour's Cllr Pamela Wallace.

Darrin Whyte’s father Joseph Whyte will be standing in the General Election battle for Weaver Vale.

Darrin said: “Why do MPs and local councillors continually ignore the wishes of those that elect them?

“Is it because they feel so secure in their positions, as mainly Labour candidates and opposition parties can hide behind the statement ‘it was done and agreed in London’?

“Sorry, but I do not accept this, we elect local government to ensure central Government take notice of our wishes.

“It’s called democracy. They should have read the small print.

“You have been elected to represent the best interests of the people of Halton.

“Should you fail in your duty we will replace you with a candidate who is prepared to do so?

“If you’re not registered to vote you still have time.”

He added: “You may have seen me in the local press fighting for air monitors for Halton, you may have even signed my petition. In October we had a meeting with Dave Parr Chief Executive of Halton Council and the Leader of the Council Cllr Rob Polhill amongst other issues one of our concerns were Air Monitors and Air Quality in Halton.

Mike Powell, of Murdishaw, will stand in Heath ward. He is due to face former mayor, Lib Dem councillor Margaret Ratcliffe.

Mr Powell said: “I was a Labour supporter from a young age, but became more and more disappointed with New Labour.

“TUSC came to my attention and I thought ‘at last, a party that shares my views and is not ashamed to call itself socialist!

“I am not a career politician, I am just an ordinary man working full time.

“I know all too well what it like to be working on low wages trying to get by.

“I am a member of the Unite union and a supporter of the Bring Back British Rail campaign.

“I am standing for the ordinary person, fighting for the working class not the establishment.”

Paul McCann, of West Bank, will contest Widnes’s Kingsway ward against Cllr Andrea Wall, Labour’s candidate who will be defending her seat having won it in December following the death of former mayor Frank Fraser.

He said: “I was born and bred in West Bank and have lived here all my life, apart from 10 years in the military.

“I am a proud West Banker but saddened to see how it is being ignored by Halton Council who are imposing cuts rather than fighting cuts.

“I want to make your voice heard. I say no to further cuts in services and jobs, and no more polluting industries.

“I will fight for a living wage, to end the bedroom tax and the growing number relying on food banks, to protect the NHS and reverse all privatisation.”