Sheffield Hallam Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate stands down

Laura Gordon said after a difficult year she wished to focus on her recovery

A parliamentary candidate who failed to win her seat by 712 votes at the last general election has stood down.

Liberal Democrat Laura Gordon said her decision not to stand again for the marginal Sheffield Hallam seat was due to health challenges.

Ms Gordon was defeated in the south-west Sheffield seat in 2019 by Labour's Olivia Blake.

The Liberal Democrats said they wished Ms Gordon well and said a new candidate would be selected.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Ms Gordon said it had been a "great privilege" to be the party's candidate for the Sheffield Hallam constituency.

"However, having faced a number of health challenges in 2022, I have decided to step back and focus on recovery.

"I would like to thank the people of Sheffield Hallam who have supported me in recent years and always been so kind and welcoming on the doorstep."

Councillor Mike Levery, chair of Sheffield Liberal Democrats, thanked Ms Gordon for all she had done for the party.

"I fully understand her reasons for stepping down from the role and would like to offer her our best wishes for the future," he added.

The Sheffield Hallam seat was held by the Liberal Democrats' former leader Sir Nick Clegg from 2005 until 2017, when it was won by Labour's Jared O'Mara.

He was later suspended by the Labour Party and became an independent before stepping down.

At the 2019 election, the seat was won by Labour's Ms Blake with a majority of just 712.