In The Big Issue in the North, out 1 March:

 

 
*   Famous for his roles in State of Play, Red Riding and - less illustriously – Basic Instinct 2, David Morrissey has directed his first feature film. And it's one that places his hometown of Liverpool at the centre of the story.

*   Continuing our series on the government's controversial Housing Market Renewal scheme, we look at Hull, where on the day one woman moved into her house, she found it was scheduled for demolition.

*   Why do we swing our arms when we walk? Why do we have fingerprints? The answers to how our bodies work aren't always obvious, says a biomechanics expert from Manchester.

*   Jeremy Sutton-Hibbert's photos of homelessness in Japan reveal a country where older people commit crimes to get off the streets and into prison, and others spend their nights in internet café booths.

Plus all our usual news and arts coverage – including Germaine Greer – prize
sudoku and photo competition

   


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Tomlinson admits he will stand as MP if he can overcome "hurdles"

posted: 10/03/2010

Ricky Tomlinson is determined to stand for the Socialist Labour Party in Liverpool Wavertree providing he can overcome a few "hurdles", he said today.
Talk of the actor, who turned 70 in September, running for the SLP arose last month when he was outraged at the Labour Party assignment of a female candidate from London for the Wavertree constituency in Liverpool. Tomlinson today called the decision to select 28-year-old Luciana Burger in Liverpool "ridiculous".
Speculation over the decision has been rife, but today Tomlinson confirmed that he wants to stand, providing he can get out of existing contractual agreements.
"I've got one more hurdle to go. I've got some major contracts outstanding, which I've signed for. Most of them have relinquished me - they've said: 'Yeah, fine - if you decide to stand and get lucky then go for it. But two of them, which are multinationals, are saying no, you've signed a contract," Tomlinson told The Big Issue in the North today, adding that he would happily act as agent for a better candidate if one arises.
"The Labour Party imposed this woman who'd never been to Liverpool and knows nothing about Liverpool," said Tomlinson, who was visiting Rochdale today for the council's Live Life campaign.
"I wouldn't dream of coming up here to stand for parliament because I know nothing about the place - particularly if they've got people living in the area, who have lived here all there lives or work here.
"I think they should be given a chance to stand. The people in Wavertree weren't given any choice. This was done in London by middle-class women."
Tomlinson expressed his all-round disappointment in Labour, saying that the party no longer looks out for the working classes. 
"I'm to the left of left because I've been there. I've been homeless and I've had my home repossessed, I've been blacklisted and I've been out of work. But I got lucky and I got into television, made a nice few quid so now I've got a big fancy house and my children have got homes so I've been lucky. But you've got to try and give something back."
Tomlinson made clear that his main goal is to get people talking about politics as the election approaches, saying that while the SLP has quite a few hurdles in its way financially, he's "not really that bothered", because people in Liverpool are getting "geed-up" about the election and want their say. 
"I just hope we've stirred it up enough to get people interested. Not just in the constituency of Wavertree, not just in the constituency of Walton, but all over the place for people to get involved," said Tomlinson. 
"I don't care if you're a member of the Conservative Party or you're Lib Dem or whatever. I don't care as long as you're passionate and care about people. Because after all it's all about people, isn't it."

Antonia Charlesworth