A POLITICAL candidate says he will lobby to get Mossley officially recognised on the Parliamentary landscape.
Ian Owen, standing as an Independent at the general election in the Stalybridge and Hyde constituency, says he has heard plenty of moans the town is ignored.
And he has promised that if he wins the July 4 vote, he will work towards getting it changed at the Boundaries Commission.
He said: “One of the first things I will do is write to the Boundaries Commission to lobby for a formal constituency name change to ‘Stalybridge, Hyde and Mossley,’ to give Mossley residents an all-important feeling of inclusion and active involvement.
“The last boundary change for the constituency was back in 1997 and, since that time, the issue hasn’t been adequately addressed by any of the three MPs who have held the seat in that 27-year period.
“With a population of over 10,000 people, Mossley is the third biggest town in the constituency, yet people there are frequently overlooked, particularly at election time.”
Mr Owen is one of six candidates standing in Stalybridge and Hyde – the others being Labour’s Jonathan Reynolds, Phil Chadwick for the Conservatives, Barbara Kaya for Reform UK, the Liberal Democrats’ Kamala Kugan and Audel Shirin of the Workers Party of Britain.
In his time as MP, Mr Reynolds regularly attended events in Mossley and often visited the town.
But not having the town formally listed is, in Mr Owen’s experience, a bugbear for residents.
He added: “While out campaigning and talking to people in the town, a number have expressed how they feel marginalised when it comes to being included in the Parliamentary Constituency, named simply as Stalybridge and Hyde.
“I can understand their frustrations. This is a place of great cultural and historical significance – having played a leading role in the industrial revolution and the cotton industry.
“Most of the wonderful architecture in Mossley bears testament to this and the town enjoys one of the most beautiful outlooks across towards the Peak District.
“Not to mention the people themselves – known for their plain speaking and refusal to suffer fools.”