Eddie Izzard fails bid to become Labour candidate for Brighton Pavilion seat

Eddie Izzard has failed in her bid to become a Labour candidate for a Brighton constituency at the next general election.

The comedian and actor had hoped to contest Brighton Pavilion - the seat held by Green MP Caroline Lucas since 2010. She will stand down when the election takes place.

Brighton's local Labour Party voted for musician and activist Tom Gray.

Izzard, 61, has not publicly commented since the decision was announced.

In a post on social media, Mr Gray, an activist and musician, who won the Mercury Prize with band Gomez in 1998, said he was "delighted and humbled" to be selected as Labour's candidate.

The Argus newspaper reported he received backing from several trade unions to secure victory, with Izzard placing second out of four candidates.

It comes as she prepares to take on a stint in New York next year in an adaptation of Hamlet.

Izzard previously told Brighton and Hove News she would campaign via Zoom and phone while in the US.

The plan was met with scepticism from ex-Labour councillor Caroline Penn who tweeted: "You can't lead a parliamentary campaign if you are in New York for three months, performing your one-person show.

"A parliamentary candidate needs to lead from the front."

Izzard has previously made an attempt to enter the Commons, unsuccessfully trying to become Labour's candidate for Sheffield Central.

The comedian, who has long campaigned for Labour, told ITV's Lorraine in March: "I'm going into politics, I'm going to push and push until I become an MP...

"I'm just going to carry on...

"I want to go in because I can communicate, I have a vision of the future - which is everyone has a right to a fair chance in life."

Izzard, who uses she/her pronouns, has openly spoken about her gender fluidity.