IT WAS a busy weekend for Ben Wood, Labour's latest candidate hoping to cause an upset at the North Shropshire by-election as he was out and about in Wem and Oswestry.

He was joined by Nia Griffiths, Labour's Shadow Secretary for Wales, on Sunday as he campaigned around the two market towns, including where he grew up in Oswestry.

Mr Wood said he was delighted to be campaigning in the areas that matter to him and promised to fight a 'local' campaign.

He said: "Wem and Oswestry are both in fantastic locations to act as local economic hubs, and we need our elected politicians to do more to put these places on the map and support businesses which have set up in these towns.

"As part of my campaign, I’m calling for greater investment in local roads and public transport to support our border economy.

"For a start, I’m campaigning for a new railway station in Oswestry, as well as the dualling of the A5, and action on potholes around Wem."

Meanwhile, Mr Wood believes North Shropshire’s pensioners and their families are due to lose thousands of pounds compared to those in other parts of the country.

It comes after a cap on social care costs were set by the government as the same across the UK, meaning many in the north will lose out on money.

He added: “The government promised that no one will be forced to sell their home to pay for social care, but across North Shropshire this doesn’t stack up.

“There aren’t many couples in towns like Oswestry and Market Drayton who have £172,000 at hand to pay for residential home fees.

"The truth is that pensioners across our area could now be forced to sell their homes, and will no doubt lose thousands compared with other parts of the country.

“It looks to me that these new rules have been drawn up by people with well-paid second jobs who have no idea about the lives of people in towns and villages in North Shropshire.

“Those owning a terraced house or semi-detached in Oswestry, Wem, Whitchurch, Ellesmere or Market Drayton are going to have nothing left once they have been forced to sell their homes for social care fees.

“Of course, this all assumes they get the average price, have paid up their mortgage, have no loans, or haven’t taken out equity release.

“Those selling a terraced house in Oswestry will be left with just £64,678, in Wem £69,150, in Whitchurch £70,678, in Ellesmere £71,836 and in Market Drayton £82,857.

“Owners of semi-detached properties will be marginally better off with homeowners in Oswestry left £92,735, in Market Drayton £93,227, in Ellesmere £100,703, in Whitchurch £105, 029 and in Wem £117,522.

“We should also remember that those who rent will be worse off. Even with a nest egg of £100,000 they will be left with just £20,000.

“To add insult to injury, working pensioners will be forced to pay for the scheme by making national insurance contributions.

“This is another broken promise from Boris Johnson’s chaotic government.

“We need real leadership on social care, and a local Labour MP who understands North Shropshire and will fight for our area.”