The Labour Party have named their candidate for the upcoming Selby and Ainsty by-election – and it’s another Keir!
Keir Mather has been chosen to contest the seat in the election, which was confirmed today as taking place on Thursday, 20 July.
It was prompted by the sudden resignation of sitting Conservative MP Nigel Adams, who stepped down at the same time as his friend and former Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
If he can overcome the 20K Conservative majority and win Selby & Ainsty, Keir, 25, would be the youngest MP in the House of Commons.
He would also be its second sitting Keir, alongside Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer.
Keir Mather was chosen by local Labour members in Selby today (Thursday).
He was born in Hull and grew up in Brough, between Selby and Hull, before going to Oxford university. Keir has most recently worked at the CBI.
His candidacy was supported by the GMB and Unison.
Keir said: “It is an honour to have been selected to fight to represent this brilliant constituency. Whilst the Conservatives are too distracted by their own chaos to deliver, the people of Selby and Ainsty have been left without a voice.
“We are facing the worst fall in living standards in a generation. Mortgages are up, our public services are broken, and the economy is stagnating.
“It’s time for change. The last time Selby had a Labour MP he delivered a brand new hospital, the first direct train to London, new flood defences and a bypass.
“After 13 years of the Conservatives, the people of Selby and Ainsty deserve a fresh start, and a Labour MP to once again deliver on the people’s priorities and build a better future.”
Selby and Ainsty, a seat created in 2010, has only ever been represented by the outgoing Conservative, Nigel Adams. At the last general election in 2019, he commanded a 20,137 over the Labour candidate at the time, Malik Rofidi.
However, the previous Selby constituency was held by Labour’s John Grogan from 2007 until it was abolished in 2010.
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