 He told the selection meeting that his main priority would be to protect the commercial and shipping interests of Liverpool, and that he objected to the River Mersey being "made a cesspool for Manchester" through the construction of the Manchester Ship Canal.The Liberals interviewed H. Wade Deacon, who had been the Liberal candidate in Widnes at the previous general election,
but he refused for personal reasons.They were still without a candidate by the evening of Tuesday 19th, when local ship-owners met to discuss the election.