Labour announces mayoral election candidate

Karen Clark is currently a councillor in North Tyneside

The Labour Party has announced its candidate for a mayoral election next year.

Karen Clark, who represents the Longbenton and Benton ward on North Tyneside Council, saw off two rivals to become the party's candidate for the area's elected mayor.

Clark said it was "truly an honour" to have been selected.

The party’s internal contest was sparked after the incumbent, Dame Norma Redfearn, announced in May that she would not be seeking re-election.

She has held the position since 2013, beating the then-Conservative incumbent Linda Arkley.

Clark secured her position after beating David Slater in a vote of local party members. Fellow councillor Joe Kirwin also stood but did not make the shortlist, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

The victorious candidate said: "I’m standing to be the elected mayor because I love North Tyneside and its people.

"It’s already a fantastic place to live, work and visit, together I know we can build on that."

Clark is currently North Tyneside Council’s cabinet member for Public Health and Wellbeing and the co-founding director of the Justice Prince Community Interest Company, a voluntary organisation which tackles regional economic and social inequalities.