Erdington by-election: Conservatives pick Robert Alden as candidate

Robert Alden was chosen by the Conservative Party to contest the Birmingham Erdington seat

The Conservative Party has chosen its candidate for the Birmingham Erdington by-election.

Local councillor Robert Alden, who has contested the seat for the party in the last four general elections, was picked by the party on Wednesday.

The election is being held after the death of Labour MP Jack Dromey in January.

Mr Alden said securing funding from the government for the area would be central to his campaign.

The selection took place after a minute's silence in memory of Mr Dromey, who held the seat for nearly 12 years.

Mr Alden has been a councillor for Erdington since 2006 and is the leader of the local authority's Conservative group.

Jack Dromey died in January aged 73

If elected, he would be the constituency's first Conservative MP since 1945.

"I know there is hard work to be done, but I cannot wait to get my message out to everyone in Erdington, Kingstanding and Castle Vale," Mr Alden said.

"As a local resident I've campaigned for our area continuously for 17 years, including 16 years as an Erdington councillor, as a school governor and vice-chair of the Business Improvement District."

The by-election will take place on 3 March and you can read a list of the candidates contesting the seat here.