Batley and Spen by-election: Labour set to choose candidate

Labour is expected to select its candidate for the Batley and Spen by-election on Sunday

Labour's candidate in the Batley and Spen by-election will be chosen on Sunday, it has emerged.

It comes after Tracy Brabin stepped down as the constituency's MP after being elected as West Yorkshire's first metro mayor.

As the mayoral role comes with the powers of the police and crime commissioner she was no longer allowed to be an MP.

The Conservatives said their candidate would be announced "in due course".

Ms Brabin, 60, replaced Jo Cox as Batley and Spen MP in a by-election in 2016 after Ms Cox was murdered by a far-right extremist.

Ms Cox's sister, Kim Leadbeater, has announced she will be putting her name forward for selection.

She said she had been "moved" by the number of local people urging her to run.

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Others rumoured to be interested in standing include the former Labour MP for Dewsbury, Paula Sherriff.

The seat will be seen as a key test for Labour after the party lost the Hartlepool by-election to the Conservatives earlier this month.

Tracy Brabin stepped down as the constituency's MP after being elected as West Yorkshire's first metro mayor

Speaking during a visit to a bus factory in North Yorkshire on Wednesday, Ms Brabin said she would "move heaven and earth" to make sure Labour won the race.

"I'm from Batley and Spen, so working with Jo Cox and then, after her murder, becoming the MP for my region was a huge privilege," she said.

"Kim is an exceptional woman but there's other candidates... so it will be down to the constituency Labour party to make that choice."

A date for the by-election is yet to be announced.

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