Southport
Liberal Democrat hold

The popular local figure Ronnie Fearn, long time councillor and serial Mayor, is retirng from Southport after his second term (the two separated by a five year gap) at the age of 70. Many might think that this genteel resort situated between Liverpool and Blackpool, but sharing the characteristics of neither, would now revert to the Conservatives. However, most smart local money is that Fearn will successfully pass it on to his party's Sefton Metropolitan Borough council leader John Pugh, who is in the best position to tap into the Lib Dems' effective and established local machine.

In place of their retiring pantomime dame Ronnie Fearn, the Liberal Democrats have selected Dr John Pugh, leader of Sefton Borough Council and Head of Philosophy at the nearby private Merchant Taylors' School, Crosby. A teacher for thirty years, he was born in 1948, and educated at Maidstone Grammar School and Durham University. Somewhat menacingly, the Conservative candidate Laurence Jones is an undertaker from the Wirral, and a member of the George Formby Society.

Area Percent GB Percent Index GB=100   Thriving Wealthy Achievers, Suburban Areas 22.78% 14.99% 151.95 Affluent Greys, Rural Communities 0.00% 2.13% 0.00 Prosperous Pensioners, Retirement Areas 11.05% 2.49% 444.62 Expanding Affluent Executives, Family Areas 1.11% 4.43% 25.11 Well-Off Workers, Family Areas 3.45% 7.27% 47.39 Rising Affluent Urbanites, Town & City Areas 2.47% 2.56% 96.19 Prosperous Professionals, Metropolitan Areas 0.00% 2.04% 0.00 Better-Off Executives, Inner City Areas 9.13% 3.94% 231.38 Settling Comfortable Middle Agers, Mature Home Owning Areas 38.96% 13.04% 298.81 Skilled Workers, Home Owning Areas 2.14% 12.70% 16.85 Aspiring New Home Owners, Mature Communities 6.46% 8.14% 79.28 White Collar Workers, Better-Off Multi Ethnic Areas 0.97% 4.02% 24.21 Striving Older People, Less Prosperous Areas 0.19% 3.19% 5.84 Council Estate Residents, Better-Off Homes 0.63% 11.31% 5.60 Council Estate Residents, High Unemployment 0.00% 3.06% 0.00 Council Estate Residents, Greatest Hardship 0.66% 2.52% 26.31 People in Multi-Ethnic, Low-Income Areas 0.00% 2.10% 0.00 Unclassified Unclassified 0.00% 0.06% 0.00

Area Percent GB Percent Index GB=100   £0-5K 8.58% 9.41% 91.13 £5-10K 16.51% 16.63% 99.27 £10-15K 17.28% 16.58% 104.23 £15-20K 14.37% 13.58% 105.83 £20-25K 10.95% 10.39% 105.36 £25-30K 8.07% 7.77% 103.83 £30-35K 5.90% 5.79% 101.84 £35-40K 4.32% 4.33% 99.72 £40-45K 3.19% 3.27% 97.63 £45-50K 2.37% 2.48% 95.67 £50-55K 1.79% 1.90% 93.85 £55-60K 1.36% 1.47% 92.18 £60-65K 1.04% 1.15% 90.67 £65-70K 0.81% 0.91% 89.29 £70-75K 0.63% 0.72% 88.04 £75-80K 0.50% 0.57% 86.90 £80-85K 0.40% 0.46% 85.86 £85-90K 0.32% 0.37% 84.91 £90-95K 0.26% 0.31% 84.03 £95-100K 0.21% 0.25% 83.22 £100K + 1.06% 1.34% 79.14