Jim Dobbin (Lab)

JIM Dobbin believes Labour's record during his years as MP plus his own file as one of the country's busiest MPs in terms of constituency casework, will give him a head start.
His fact-sheet points to the longest period of low inflation since records began, childcare places for every three and four year old, free eye tests for pensioners, winter heating cash for pensioners, massive investment in health and education, and huge increase in employment since the Tories were defeated.
He also claims Britain leads the world on the eradication of world poverty.
The former leader of Rochdale Council lives in Norden, is married to Pat and the couple recently celebrated their ruby wedding. They have a grown up family, two sons and two daughters.
Mr Dobbin is known as an MP who is not afraid to rebel on principle particularly on issues affecting the unborn child, the Iraq war, and foundation hospitals.
In 2001 he was returned with a majority of more than 11,000 - but he has still been out door-knocking this time and taking every opportunity to get the message of Labour's record on education, employment, health and the economy across to voters.
He believes the biggest danger for him and many other Labour MPs will be apathy and he is urging people to turn out and vote.
Mr Dobbin says that despite the national debate about whether people have lost trust in Tony Blair, he has not found that among Heywood folk, even though many were against the Iraq war. He voted against the war because he thought there should have been international backing for it first.
"But I don't believe, as some people have suggested, that Tony Blair lied. During canvassing I have found some people who have raised the trust issue, but most believe Labour has done a good job with the economy and in cutting unemployment. Since 1997 it has dropped by 59 per cent in this constituency."

Dr Stephen Pathmarajah (Con)

A year ago, people were asking "Stephen who?" when anyone mentioned the man chosen as the Conservative challenger.
But since then, Dr Stephen Pathmarajah, 54, has been busy making himself known by talking to local organisations and getting involved in such controversial issues as the campaign to save Darnhill Library.
The chartered engineer holds a doctorate in engineering and supports the party philosophy that people should be free to create their own wealth and have the freedom to spend.
He believes that law and order will be one of the major issues which will decide the outcome of the election.
He says he has found widespread concern over planned changes for the NHS and claims two tier services in which patients are seen first by physiotherapists and nurses are a step backwards.
Dr Pathmarajah lives in Warrington with his schoolteacher wife Christine. They have a daughter 24 and twins - a boy and girl - of 22.
He believes his campaign trail has been a "great success" as he enters the final furlong.
As well as having to get across Conservative policies to the voters, he has been working hard to get his face known because he was a stranger to Heywood before the constituency party picked him as the man to challenge Labour's Jim Dobbin.
"If I am elected I want to change the face of politics in Heywood and will go out of my way to listen to the people on what they want to see happen to improve their town," he said.
Like most of the candidates, Dr Pathmarajah has found that law and order is one of the key issues.
He also believes there is widespread concern over more changes planned in the NHS, particularly at local level and in services such as NHS dentistry.

Crea Lavin (Lib Dem)

THE age gap between Mr Dobbin and the Lib Dem's Crea Lavin is highlighted by the fact that she was once taught by Mr Dobbin's wife Pat.
Miss Lavin, 31, runs for fun and is a member of Rochdale Harriers. The Lib Dems say her local background and campaigning experience with the National Union of Students make her a powerful contender.
And with new optimism in the party under Charles Kennedy, they are confident she can pull it off.
Miss Lavin lives with her partner near Royton but grew up in the Rochdale and Middleton area. Her parents live in Norden where she stood in the local elections last June and came within 100 votes of a council seat.
She holds a first class degree in chemical engineering and has a top management job with a Manchester soft drinks company.
She believes her party's support for a university education affordable to all, and the scrapping of top up fees, will win many votes.
LIBERAL Democrat Crea Lavin says canvassing in Heywood has convinced her that the majority of people now regard her party as the only real challenge to Labour.
As well as doorstepping rounds, she has been chatting to shoppers in the Times Retail Park and says the message she is getting is that people are desperate for change, but not a change back to the Tory Party they can still remember from their years in power.
"From the start, we have set out to stay clear of the slanging match between Labour and Conservatives," she said. "People are tired of that. We have simply set out clearly what we will do, not what the others have failed to do."
Miss Lavin, 31, believes support is racing upwards for the Liberal Democrats, particularly over such contentious issues as university top-up fees and council tax. The Lib Dems have vowed to abolish both.
As well as limbering up for 5 May, the Rochdale Harrier is also preparing for the Manchester 10k road race in June and the Manchester to Blackpool bike ride in July - both to raise money for the NSPCC.

Phil Burke (Liberal)

PHIL Burke, 35, was invited to fight for the Liberal Democrats but decided to try again under the banner of the old Liberal Party.
He lives in Middleton and is already well known in Heywood, where he fought for the seat in 2001.
Since the age of 18, he has fought various local, general and European elections. He has also served four terms on the Liberals' National Executive.
He is an active campaigner on such issues as retaining Booth Hall Children's Hospital, safer towns and cities and is a regular letter writer on local issues to the Advertiser.
He and his partner Christine have a son, four, and he says success on 5 May would be the perfect start to a summer in which he and Christine will be married. The trained chef is manager of one of the city centre's leading hotels.
He is a leading light in the city's pub and club network and one of the main campaigners who helped to introduce the widespread use of "safe glass".
He has been canvassing on a wide range of issues as he hopes to improve further on his performance in the 2001 general election.
He told the Advertiser that his party stands for "a decent life for the majority, for social justice and democracy," with a focus on local concerns as well as national policies.
The problems he said were most frequently brought to his attention in the town include anti-social behaviour, under-age drinking, regeneration and the transfer of housing stock.
"At the end of the day we are a party that will work with everyone to try to achieve our goals," he said. "We are a small party but we will tackle the day-in-day-out problems people tell us about."
On a national level The Liberals oppose tuition fees, the 'European Super State' and the Euro.
Mr Burke is likely to be seen out and about in the Hopwood and Birch areas later in the week as he sets about raising his profile prior to polling day.

Dr John Whittaker (UK Independence)

UK INDEPENDENCE Party came in with a surprise last-minute candidate before nominations closed for the Heywood and Middleton seat.
He is Dr John Whittaker, who already serves as a Member of the European Parliament for the North West region.
But the most unusual feature of Dr Whittaker's nomination is that he has also been named by UKIP to stand for eight constituencies including Rochdale, Hyndburn, Stalybridge and Hyde and Wigan on 5 May.
A council spokesman explained: "There is nothing to stop a candidate standing for more than one parliamentary seat, but obviously, if he is elected for both seats he will have to choose which constituency to represent.
"An MP cannot represent two constituencies, even if they are next to each other like Heywood and Rochdale."
Dr Whittaker is an economist at Lancaster University and is a specialist on monetary policy.
He has written widely on the dangers of the Euro and is fighting to free small business from political correctness and EU rules.
Dr Whittaker has had a hectic week juggling a campaign which covers eight different constituencies.
"I have been busy explaining what the old political parties won't talk about - that most of our laws including those on immigration are now made in the European Union," he told the Advertiser.
At the forefront of his campaign is the withdrawal of Britain from the European Union to rid the country of what he deems "thousands of stupid regulations."
"We need to stop paying money to the EU and spend it on this country. And let's get away from 'spin' and political correctness and back to a Britain that is run for British people, not for professional politicians and bureaucrats," he added.

Gary Aronsson (BNP)

GARY Aronsson, 43, lives in Kirkby and is well known in Merseyside.
He is a "disillusioned former Labour man" who is now passionate about the BNP stand over the right of people to defend themselves in their own home. In 2003 he grappled with an intruder who was armed with a table leg.
He wrenched the weapon from the grasp of the man, who was sent fleeing with cuts and bruises. But Mr Aronsson was charged and was cleared by a jury only after a four day trial.
He has tried twice to get a seat on Knowsley Council and polled 147 votes last June.
Mr Aronsson and his partner plan to marry soon after the General Election.
Mr Aronsson says he believes there are many people as disillusioned as him over the three main parties.
As a Labour activist, he helped to select Labour MP George Howarth for Knowsley North and says he was "delirious" when Labour won power in 1997.
LAW and order, law and order, law and order.
That, says Mr Aronsson, is the issue which is going to decide the outcome the general election more than any other.
He claims Tony Blair's famous education, education, education speech is now old hat and the burning desire of people he has met so far on the doorsteps of Heywood is to have a government that will clamp down once and for all on crime and the yob culture.
And he says he believes that is why the BNP will pick up many votes in Heywood.
Mr Aronsson was an 11th hour choice to fight the seat after Martin Littler declined because his work has taken him to London. But Mr Aronsson says he is getting a good reception here.
Another major issue with Heywood people, he says, is the plan to build a giant wind farm on the moors. "People just don't believe all the hype about how wonderful wind power is supposed to be," he said. "All it will do is spoil the countryside and for 25 per cent of the time, it won't work. We now have the ridiculous situation where our power stations are fuelled by gas which comes by pipeline from Russia.
"How crazy is that?"