Wakefield by-election: Nadeem Ahmed is Conservative Party pick

Nadeem Ahmed is currently a councillor for Wakefield South

The Conservative Party has selected its candidate for the Wakefield by-election triggered by the resignation of a Tory MP who was convicted of a sex assault.

Nadeem Ahmed, who has been a councillor in the city since 2006, will be standing in the election on 23 June, Conservatives North tweeted.

It follows the resignation of MP Imran Ahmad Khan after his conviction for sexually assaulting a 15-year-old boy.

Earlier this month, Labour selected Simon Lightwood to contest the seat.

Mr Ahmed, the councillor for Wakefield South, was congratulated on his selection by Conservative Party co-chairman Oliver Dowden.

Mr Dowden tweeted: "Born and bred in Wakefield - and a councillor there since 2006 - he'll be a strong local voice for Wakefield, helping us level up there and across the whole United Kingdom."

The Wakefield seat is seen as a key target for Labour, which had held it for more than 87 years before the Conservatives won it in 2019 with a majority of 3,358.