TWO senior politicians have been prevented from standing in May’s Lancashire County Council elections after being deselected.

Liberal Democrat Margaret Brindle and Labour’s Clare Pritchard have said they are ‘disappointed’ to have lost their party’s respective votes.

Cllr Brindle has represented Burnley Rural since 2009 and was county council chairman in 2015/2016.

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She has been replaced as a candidate by Tracey Kennedy after a vote of Lib Dem members.

Cllr Pritchard has represented Accrington North since 2013 and is lead member for waste management on the authority having previously chaired its audit committee.

The former deputy leader of Hyndburn Council has been replaced by Loraine Cox, the wife of her successor in the post Paul Cox.

Cllr Brindle said: “I am surprised, shocked and disappointed.

“I have done a lot of work on behalf of the ward and the party since 2009.”

Cllr Pritchard said: “I am disappointed but not surprised.

“I shall continue to work hard on behalf of the Labour Party and the people of Accrington.”

She took the county council seat from her father Malcolm, then an independent, in May 2013.

The following year, standing for UKIP, he ousted her as councillor for Milnshaw on Hyndburn Council after accusing her of election fraud leading to her temporary suspension from the Labour Party.

After an investigation the Crown Prosecution Service decided to take no action against her and her suspension was lifted.

Cllr Malcolm Pritchard said of his daughter’s deselection: “What a disgrace.

“She deserved to be allowed to fight the ward.”

Hyndburn Council leader Miles Parkinson, standing for Labour in May for the county division of Great Harwood, Rishton, Altham and Clayton-le-Moors, said: “Clare has worked hard for the people of Accrington North.

“The selection was a democratic decision.”

Burnley council Lib Dem group leader Cllr Gordon Birtwistle, standing for a different ward in May, said: “Margaret will be missed. It was democratic vote.”

County Tory group chairman Cllr Peter Britcliffe said: “I am surprised two such senior and long-serving county councillors have been dropped by their parties.”