VOTERS in Bury have been presented with a “golden opportunity” to have their voices heard in the forthcoming General Election, according to council leader Rishi Shori.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Theresa May surprised the nation by calling a snap election.

But Cllr Shori says the vote on June 8 will offer a chance for people across the borough to say whether or not they are getting a good deal from the Conservative government.

Cllr Shori, who is also leader of the Labour group on the council, said he believes local issues such as the review of libraries provision and the closure of walk-in centres – which Labour blames on Tory cuts – will influence how people vote.

Conservatives in Bury have also welcomed Mrs May’s announcement, saying the general election will be a choice between strong Tory leadership and a weak Labour Party.

The snap election means voters will be going to the polls for the second time in two years.

Residents in the borough of Bury will vote in one of two Parliamentary constituencies, Bury North or Bury South, depending on where they live.

In May 2015, Conservative MP David Nuttall won the Bury North seat by a slight margin, with Labour’s Ivan Lewis MP more comfortably holding Bury South.

Cllr Shori said: “I think calling for a general election presents a golden opportunity for people in Bury to have their say on how Theresa May is running the country.

“It is only two years since the last general election when Labour only narrowly lost the Bury North seat and held Bury South.

“Since then, there have been further cuts to public services, to the NHS in the form of the walk-in centres and £32m of cuts to the council budget which has put the libraries and other services at risk.

“This is therefore a great opportunity for the people of Bury to have their say on whether or not they are getting a fair deal from central government.”

Leader of the Conservative group in Bury, Cllr James Daly, contested the Bolton North East seat in the May 2015 general election and was selected as Conservative candidate for the Oldham and Royton by-election in December the same year, losing both.

On Mrs May’s announcement, he said: “I think it is good news and the correct decision.

“The Prime Minister has proven herself to be a leader the country needs, and that she is seeking a mandate is to be welcomed.

“This is a defining moment for the country, which has to choose between the strong leadership from Theresa May, or the gross incompetency of Jeremy Corbyn.”

Bury North MP David Nuttall said holding a general election is in the best interests of the UK, and that he intends to ask the Bury North Conservative Association to re-select him as candidate for the Bury North constituency.

Mr Nuttall added: “As always I will be looking to ensure that everyone who agrees with our position votes for it, that is what I have always done and I will do the same this time around.

“I am not prepared to make any predictions but I will do all I can to maximise the Conservative vote in Bury.

“It has become evident that in order to have the strong mandate and the presence in Parliament we will need to carry this forward, it is in the UK’s national interest to hold a general election.

“A general election will provide a platform for each party to present its vision for the United Kingdom’s future as we leave the European Union.

“Every vote for the Conservatives will strengthen the negotiating hand of the Prime Minister as she seeks the best deal for the country, and will provide the country with strong and stable leadership, and the Prime Minister with a strong mandate to carry out our plan for Britain.”

Labour’s Bury South MP Ivan Lewis was unavailable for comment due to Passover.