The three Independent candidates in this week’s Selby and Ainsty by-election have accused the BBC of bias.

Harrogate-based Andrew Gray, Tyler Wilson-Kerr and Nick Palmer issued a joint statement last night claiming they had been marginalised by the broadcaster.

The statement said:

“Absence of the Independent candidates from BBC coverage gives the electorate the impression that they are not able to win; that they are not working hard.

“Nothing could be further from the truth. The mood of the constituency is one of change. Most people we speak to do not align with any political party.”

Opinion polls suggest the by-election is a two-way fight between the Conservatives and Labour.

Betting company OddsChecker has Labour 1/7 to win, with the Conservatives at 11-2 and the Liberal Democrats at 100-1.

Conservative Nigel Adams, who won the seat in 2019 with a 20,137 majority in 2019, triggered the by-election when he resigned last month. It is one of three by-elections being contested on Thursday.

If Labour wins, it will be the biggest ever overturn of a Conservative majority. The party is expected to send several front bench heavyweights to the constituency this week as part of a final push.

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Thirteen candidates are standing in Thursday’s ballot.

The joint statement highlight how Independents came third at last year’s  local elections in Selby and adds:

“With so many candidates, the likely margin of victory is likely to be small. The State Broadcaster’s position could sway this election.

“Tyler, Nick and Andrew all bring valuable experience to this election. The habit of mainstream media to treat elections as a largely binary choice is both insulting to Yorkshire voters and damaging to democracy.”

The Harrogate and Knaresborough constituency is set to shrink following a national review of parliamentary boundaries.

The Boundary Commission for England today published its final recommendations for new constituency boundaries.

Locally, it means Boroughbridge, Minskip, Marton-cum-Grafton, the Dunsforths, Ripley and Nidd will be removed from the Harrogate and Knaresborough constituency currently held by the Conservative Andrew Jones.

Goldsborough, Flaxby, Allerton Park, Hopperton and Burton Leonard will be added to the seat.

The overall size of the constituency electorate will reduce from 78,372 to 75,800.

The current boundaries for the Harrogate and Knaresborough and Selby and Ainsty constituencies.

The government now has four months to bring forward an Order to give effect to the final recommendations, which will then be implemented at the next general election.

There will therefore be no changes before next month’s Selby and Ainsty by-election on July 20.

Andrew Jones

Mr Jones, who has represented Harrogate and Knaresborough since 2010, said he was “very sad” to lose “beautiful parts of the constituency” he has represented for 13 years.

He said:

“I will support whoever is elected to represent those areas as part of the new Wetherby and Easingwold constituency so that there is a seamless transfer of issues and constituent casework from my office to their office.”

Mr Jones added he welcomed the addition of the new villages to Harrogate and Knaresborough. He said:

“Being so close to my current constituency I have a strong relationship with those areas and look forward to that continuing.

“The  Boundary Commission review takes place over several years and takes exhaustive evidence from individuals, local community groups and politicians. The purpose of the review is to ensure that constituencies are similar sizes and make sense in terms of community links.”

Boost for Lib Dems?

Harrogate and Knaresborough Liberal Democrats are not unhappy at the loss of affluent Boroughbridge, which they think will enhance their prospects of preventing Mr Jones winning a fifth consecutive election.

Tom Gordon

Tom Gordon, the party’s prospective parliamentary candidate for Harrogate and Knaresborough, said:

“The new Harrogate & Knaresborough constituency boundaries will make it an even closer battle between the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives at the next general election.”

Tim Bowden, secretary to the Boundary Commission, said:

“The recommendations we have published today mark the end of a thorough and consultative process to build the new map of parliamentary constituencies.

“We have taken into account over 60,000 public comments, travelled the country, and heard many passionate views about how best to reflect local community ties in our recommendations.”

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The changes, which include retaining a total of 650 constituencies across the UK, see each seat contain no less than 69,724 voters and no more than 77,062.

England has been allocated 543 constituencies — 10 more than it currently has.

The commission began its review in January 2021. It issued initial proposals in June 2021 and revised proposals in November last year.