Unrest at election candidate process

THERE have been ructions in places such as Wakefield, Bolton and Cumbria in recent months as, under Keir Starmer's leadership, Labour bosses have been stepping in to shape the party's selection of local candidates for the upcoming General Election.

- ROB PARSONS

And the latest internal row is in the key West Yorkshire seat of Calder Valley - with a current Tory majority of 5,774 - where a senior local councillor and two "high-quality local female candidates" failed to make the longlist.

Scott Patient, who leads on climate action and housing for Calderdale Council, vented his frustration on social media after being excluded from the longlist to become Labour's candidate.

He described his "frustration and deep sadness" that he "will not have the opportunity to put my case before our local Labour membership".

And he said it was "particularly disappointing given that there are clearly legitimate concerns about the process followed", adding: "It's also regrettable that multiple high-quality local female candidates were not afforded the opportunity to make their cases to the membership."