Wigan ’s MP has hit back at ‘bizarre’ criticism of her town by a former BBC Newsnight presenter and journalist after an old clip resurfaced on social media. Paul Mason, born in Leigh, described Wigan as having ‘dead streets’ and ‘no vibrant retail’ in comments made at a conference in September 2021.
Mr Mason, who is hoping to be Labour’s next candidate for Sheffield Central, said that MP Lisa Nandy 'tries to put a great face on it’ but it would be a place where students would not want to go. He said this was because there are no black people or migrants in the town.
“When you get off the train in Wigan the streets are dead and the only drinking places are standing places and the only people drinking are young men,” he said in the clip shared on Twitter by political writer Aaron Bastani on November 7.
