A Preston charity campaigning for a ceasefire in Gaza is considering putting forward an independent candidate for the city in an upcoming general election.

Children of the Ghetto is holding hustings later in March to potentially select a candidate – according to messages seen by Blog Preston.

The group, which has organised a number of Gaza protests and marches in the city in recent months, states ‘no Ceasefire, no vote’ in its call for people to attend the meeting.

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In a statement, the group says: “We are delighted to announce that Children of the Ghetto will host an open public meeting to discuss whether Preston should select an independent Pro-Palestine candidate at the forthcoming General Election.

“The meeting is open to all and will do two things. We will decide on whether we should stand a candidate in the General Election.

“If the meeting decides we should stand, we will hold hustings to select our candidate.”

At the start of March the city saw one of its largest-ever demonstrations as around 8,000 people – from across Lancashire – marched from Deepdale Stadium to the Flag Market to demand a ceasefire in Gaza.

The public meeting is being held at Preston Community Hub in Samuel Street, Fishwick, from 1.30pm to 3.30pm on Sunday 24 March.

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No date has been set for a general election but Preston’s current MP, Labour’s Sir Mark Hendrick, has confirmed to Blog Preston he is due to stand again. Sir Mark has held the seat since 2000 and has a majority of 12,146 votes.

The Liberal Democrats will be represented by Neil Darby, a current city councillor, and Reform UK are expected to stand with James Elliot. While the Conservatives have not confirmed who will stand in the city.

Children of the Ghetto’s move comes just two weeks after George Galloway was elected in Rochdale for the Workers Party of Britain – winning 40 per cent of the vote and overturning a Labour majority of 9,668. Galloway stood on a pro-Palestinian agenda.

Preston’s boundaries are changed for the next general election, with a number of wards in the North and North East of the city moving into the Ribble Valley constituency and the Wyre and Preston North seat – current held by the outgoing Ben Wallace – is abolished.

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