A GOVERNMENT minister dropped into a Padiham pub to talk to locals.

Stephen Twigg, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Schools, visited the Grove Inn, Hargrove Avenue, as part of the Labour Party's "Big Conversation" initiative to find out what people want from a future Labour government.

Kitty Ussher, who will stand for the Labour Party in Burnley in the next general election, said: "The most important thing was for people to tell us what concerned them and what they want. Their opinions will now be fed into the party's policy consultation process to help form the next election manifesto."