WITH the general election approaching, we asked parliamentary candidates standing in Warrington North questions about their personal life.

Read below for their answers.

Warrington Guardian:

Name: Charlotte Nichols (Labour)

Age: 28

Education background: Comprehensive education and bachelor's degree from the University of Liverpool. Diploma in employment law from Unionlearn.

Profession: Industrial policy for the trade union GMB.

Family life: I come from a big family, I've got three sisters and three step-siblings - I'm the second youngest of the seven of us. I've got no children of my own.

What car do you drive? I don't drive.

Where did you last go on holiday? This summer I went to Zadar in Croatia with my partner and then rented a canal boat down the Leeds-Liverpool canal for a week with friends.

What was the last thing you ate? A mince pie!

Have you ever taken illegal drugs? It's not something I'm proud of, but I'd rather be honest about having tried when I was much younger.

I know people who have struggled with addiction issues, and that ethnic minorities are disproportionately charged with low level drug possession offences despite higher use among their white peers; so I feel strongly that we've not got our drugs policy in this country right. It should primarily be focused around harm reduction.

When was the last time you cried? This week, reading something particularly hateful someone said about me during the course of this election. I'd like to say it doesn't get to me, but sometimes it does - I'm only human.

What is your favourite book of all time? The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists by Robert Tressell.

What are your ties to the area you hope to represent? Barring the last year for work, I've lived nearby for my entire adult life in Liverpool and then Salford - the borough next door.

I've been coming to Warrington since I was a kid to see family friends in Culcheth and professionally as an adult through my trade union work and my position on Labour's North West Regional Board.

I care deeply about the community here and have already made Warrington North my home since being selected as a candidate.

Favourite restaurant/place to eat in the constituency: Most of what I'm eating at the moment is what I can grab on the go but Thai Paragon in Culcheth is great and Cllr Cathy Mitchell makes a cracking roast dinner!

Where do you do your food shopping? I do my big shop at Tesco.

Describe your perfect Friday night: Inviting all my loved ones over for Shabbat dinner and putting the world to rights over dinner and a couple of glasses of wine.

What’s your favourite drink? I tend to drink beer if I'm at the pub but gin and tonic for a treat. We're really lucky with all the options for Warrington-made gin from the big companies through to the craft distilleries!

Who is your favourite Warrington Wolves player (current or past squad)? I don't have one yet but I'm looking forward to the new season especially with some of the new signings like Gareth Widdop!

What is the best place in the constituency in your opinion? We're blessed to have lots of green spaces here that should be cherished and community groups doing amazing work.

If I had to choose just one, based on how warmly I was welcomed there recently and all the work they do locally, the community centre in Burtonwood!

Do you think MPs should be allowed to hire their family members? No. It's a misuse of public funds.

Why do you deserve the gig? I've got a track record of standing up for ordinary people, and standing against giants and bullies.

Whatever happens with the national picture and whoever forms a government, I believe I've got the values and tenacity to get the best deal for people here in Warrington North. Feisty women get stuff done!

What do you think the biggest issue facing residents in the constituency is? The one that's coming up time and again on the doors is social care. There's too many people whose care needs are going unmet and others not getting the quality of care they deserve.

Care workers are the backbone of our community but they don't get the pay or recognition they should. All of this can change but it requires the political will to do it.

In a sentence, what do you want to change if you are elected? The fact we've got queues outside foodbanks in Warrington, in the sixth richest country in the world.

Warrington Guardian:

Name: Wendy Maisey (Tory)

Age: Shouldn’t ask a lady her age but hey I’m 52.

Education background: Left school, age 16, with my GCSEs and became an office junior, I have worked ever since! Did French A-level at college a few years ago at night school as I love the language.

Profession: Business owner of a technology company based in Warrington employing around 40 local people.

Family life: Three almost grown-up daughters.

What car do you drive? Swapped this year to a British made car, made in Coventry. Jaguar.

Where did you last go on holiday? Always time pressured, last holiday was in July last year, four nights in Ibiza with two of my daughters.

What was the last thing you ate? Probably a cheese barm, my staple lunch.

Have you ever taken illegal drugs? Never, I grew up on a crime-ridden council estate and knew from an early age there were two choices in life. Drugs or stay clean.

When was the last time you cried? My eldest daughter has a life-changing disability and has been hospitalised for over five years, her courage, determination and dignity cause me to have a tear in my eye even if it’s just for a few moments a day, usually at bedtime prayers.

What is your favourite book of all time? Tough one, especially for an ex-library assistant as I've read so many. I love autobiographies the best, just re-read Alan Sugar's again.

What are your ties to the area you hope to represent? We’ve lived in the Croft and Lowton area for many years. I use the same services, such as the hospital, as the constituents I hope to represent.

I drive over the same potholes as them going to work and know what needs to be done here. I run an IT business in Warrington and employ people from Warrington and want to continue to bring investment, employment and apprenticeships to our town. I’m an export champion and work closely with the DIT.

Favourite restaurant/place to eat in the constituency:  Love Grill on the Square and Ondrej, the staff are great and their early menu and drinks offers are fantastic – love a bargain.

Where do you do your food shopping? I have no loyalty. I shop at all of the big supermarkets for cupboard stuff but use local farms in North Warrington for my fresh meat, veg and deli provisions when possible.

It’s worth taking the time and supporting our local farmers who bring employment to the community.

Describe your perfect Friday night: Family or friends coming around for a nice meal and a glass of wine and conversation, or conversely going to see them for the same.

What’s your favourite drink? There’s a standard joke among my friends and family about how much water I drink (tap water that is, I think bottled water is a waste of money and an eco-disaster). On a night out, my favourite drink would be a Long Island iced tea.

Who is your favourite Warrington Wolves player? I should say the players that follow me on Twitter. The player who gets my vote is the one that gives back the most to their community and the foundation – that’s as important as how they perform on the pitch, great to see them giving back to the community initiative run now by the Wolves for the players too.

What is the best place in the constituency in your opinion? Hard choice! Each ward has something great to offer from the people to the landscapes for walking or the different pubs and restaurants, but of course the people make the community.

Do you think MPs should be allowed to hire their family members? No, nepotism is one thing that should be stamped out in all public office.

Why do you deserve the gig? Deserve is not the right word but I know I have a lot to offer the constituency in way of my experience and dedication. 

I’ve been giving back to my local community for many years including being a founder patron at WYC, relationships like this aren’t made overnight. Trust and respect must be earned. 

There’s no learning curve with me, I know the issues and people and the organisations and departments to turn to so ready to hit the ground running with my six-point plan.

What do you think the biggest issue facing residents in the constituency is? There is still a great imbalance in the wards as there is across the country.  Some of the statistics regarding health issues, early mortality and poor housing in some of the wards really concern me and have been ignored for too long.

In a sentence, what do you want to change if you are elected? Many have lost faith in politicians especially over Brexit, they feel their voices have been ignored since 2016.

We need to restore people’s faith in democracy, I’m not a career politician, I want to break that cycle and work with constituents so they feel valued.

Warrington Guardian:

Name: Elizabeth Oyedoyin Babade (Brexit Party)

Age: 45, my birthday was on Tuesday, yay!

Education background: LLB (Law), B.L, MBA (Liverpool)

Profession: Lawyer and governance, risk management and Compliance (GRC) consultant

Family life: Married with four children

What car do you drive? For work VW Polo, family car Mercedes

Where did you last go on holiday?  Eastbourne

What was the last thing you ate? Eggplant and beef sauce

Have you ever taken illegal drugs? Never

When was the last time you cried? On September 17, my late mum's birthday

What is your favourite book of all time? Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein

What are your ties to the area you hope to represent? I can hardly wait to form those strong ties when my family and I move to Warrington. We love the outdoors and this is plentiful in Warrington.

Favourite restaurant/place to eat in the constituency: Nando's Warrington

Where do you do your food shopping? Asda

Describe your perfect Friday night: Theatre and drinks with hubby or friends

What’s your favourite drink? Pina colada

Who is your favourite Warrington Wolves player? Sitaleki Akauola

What is the best place in the constituency in your opinion? Lymm is beautiful if you can afford it.

Do you think MPs should be allowed to hire their family members? No, it would be a conflict of interest.

Why do you deserve the gig? The next Parliament needs MPs who can effectively scrutinise Boris's withdrawal agreement and policy decisions and keep him honest.

I have the work experience, expertise and independence to do just that.

What do you think the biggest issue facing residents in the constituency is? The effects of austerity on social care and public services.

In a sentence, what do you want to change if you are elected? I think politics today is characterised by a lot of deceit and intrigue with MPs saying one thing to get votes and doing another once they get elected and I would want to change that by being one of many Brexit Party MPs who will tell it like it is without fear or favour.

Warrington Guardian:

Name: David Crowther (Liberal Democrat)

Age: 67

Education background: Higher national business studies

Profession: Now retired. Previously, north west national call centre manager. Centrica British Gas.

Family life: Single

What car do you drive? Dacia Duster

Where did you last go on holiday? Gran Canaria

What was the last thing you ate? Apricot jam on toast

Have you ever taken illegal drugs? No

When was the last time you cried? I get tears in my eyes when I see animals being mistreated on TV.

What is your favourite book of all time? Any Terry Pratchett Discworld book.

What are your ties to the area you hope to represent? Family and living in Warrington.

Favourite restaurant/place to eat in the constituency: The General Elliot, Croft

Where do you do your food shopping? Tesco

Describe your perfect Friday night: Home and TV or a good film.

What’s your favourite drink? Malt Whiskey

Who is your favourite Warrington Wolves player? Currently Stefan Ratchford. Historically, Rick Thackray (back in the 80s - he could side step and send half the crowd the wrong way!)

What is the best place in the constituency in your opinion? Mersey Forest

Do you think MPs should be allowed to hire their family members? Not directly. I think all MPs' staff (paid for by the taxpayer) should be employed by Parliament and at the appropriate local government/local area rates.

Why do you deserve the gig?  Being an MP is hardly a 'gig'. It might be a part time job for some wealthy southern MPs but for the majority of MPs in all parties is a full-time commitment.

However I think Parliament has been taken over by too many career politicians who haven’t had a real job (university studying politics then become politicians aides before entering Parliament) and is short of grounded people, particularly with good northern common sense thrown in.

What do you think the biggest issue facing residents in the constituency is? Transport. Warrington is bordered by three major motorways and has two major railway stations. Yet the town is regularly gridlocked with cars and currently public transport is inadequate. There are also major issues with river crossings and tolls on bridges.

We need a radical look at solutions without covering our precious green space with more and more roads.

“If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get is what you’ve always got” - Henry Ford

In a sentence, what do you want to change if you are elected? Replace FPTP (first past the post) elections with PR (proportional representation) so everyone’s vote will count.

Warrington Guardian:

Name: Lyndsay McAteer (Green Party)

Age: 51

Education background: Starting at Penketh High then BA (Victoria University of Wellington, NZ), diploma in law (MMU), MA criminal justice (LJMU).

Profession: Community development worker followed by social researcher (currently looking for work).

Family life: Family across the globe

What car do you drive? Citroen C3

Where did you last go on holiday? Cornwall

What was the last thing you ate? A chocolate mint

Have you ever taken illegal drugs? Yes

When was the last time you cried? Two weeks ago

What is your favourite book of all time? Difficult question - books are my thing! The Dylan Thomas Omnibus

What are your ties to the area you hope to represent? I was born in Warrington and have lived here for 40 years. It's my home.

Favourite restaurant/place to eat in the constituency: The Cottage (Church Street).

Where do you do your food shopping? Morrisons

Describe your perfect Friday night: Start off at the Palmyra. Go to The White Hart for a meal while watching the Wire beat the Saints in the Super League.

End up in 9 Gallon with good friends listening to David Bowie on the jukebox.

What’s your favourite drink? Red wine

Who is your favourite Warrington Wolves player? Lee Briers 

What is the best place in the constituency in your opinion? Peel Hall

Do you think MPs should be allowed to hire their family members? Definitely not

Why do you deserve the gig? I'm an experienced negotiator and campaigner with a detailed knowledge of Warrington and I would be dedicated to getting the best deal for all my constituents.

What do you think the biggest issue facing residents in the constituency is? Access to affordable housing (and avoiding social exclusion).

In a sentence, what do you want to change if you are elected? I want everyone in Warrington to be able to reach their full potential while ensuring that the environment is nurtured and protected for generations to come.