LABOUR faces a multi-party fight to hold on to its three seats in and around Oldham on December 12.

Overshadowing the General Election is the 2016 EU referendum when 60 per cent of the borough voted to leave.

In 2017 Debbie Abrams held Oldham East and Saddleworth, a seat with a long history of electoral controversy, by 8,182 votes.

This time she faces Werneth barrister Tom Lord for the Tories and local councillor Sam Al-Hamdani for the Liberal Democrats.

The Greens are fielding Wendy Olsen while The Brexit Party recently replaced former local fireman Paul Taylor with Bolton businessman Paul Brierley.

In Oldham West and Royton Labour’s Jim McMahon is defending a 17,198 majority over the Conservatives whose candidate is Kirsty Finlayson.

The LibDems have selected borough councillor Garth Harkness while the Brexit Party candidate is Bolton businesswoman Helen Formby.

The Green Party hopeful is Dan Jerrome.

Ms Abrahams said: “Poverty and austerity are political choices, which is why I set up and chaired the Oldham Fairness Commission. I will continue to fight for the rights of disabled people, including those with dementia, influencing attitudes and changing practices.”

Mr Lord said: “Brexit is unavoidable. I understand people’s fatigue but the only way to get it done is to vote Conservative.”

Cllr Al-Hamdani said: “I want to see focused spending on the NHS and education. Oldham’s schools are not all as good as they should be.”

Ms Rayner is defending a majority of 11,295 in Ashton-under-Lyne which includes Failsworth, and Droylsden.

Ms Formby said: “Oldham West & Royton voted 61.31 per cent to leave in the referendum, and three and a half years later we still haven’t left. I want their opinions to be respected.”

Mr Jerrome said: “We’re the only party leading on the climate crisis and we’re asking for an economy that works for all.

Mr McMahon said: “The decade of Tory austerity we have endured has demonstrated that our public services are not safe in Tory hands, I have always and will always strive for greater investment in our NHS, police and fire services, transport and in education.”

The Lib Dem candidate in Ashton-under-Lyne is George Rice

UKIP intend to stand a candidate in Oldham West but have yet to decide whether to put up a hopeful in Oldham East where they believe a single pro-Brexit candidate could take the seat from Labour.

They are not announcing the names of their candidates until after the deadline at 4pm today.