Trafford Council leader Andrew Western is bidding to become the Labour Party candidate for Stretford and Urmston at the next general election.
Cllr Western has stood for Labour against Sir Graham Brady in the Altrincham and Sale West seat for the last two general elections.
In 2019 he secured 36.8% of the vote, down from the 38.8% share he won in 2017 but well up from the 26.7% the previous Labour candidate had achieved in 2015.
Cllr Western, who has led the council since 2018 and the borough’s Labour Group since 2014, announced his move to replace outgoing MP Kate Green on Twitter.
“For me, being our candidate here in Stretford and Urmston is deeply personal,” he said. “This is the constituency that I call home, in the Borough that I am so privileged to lead and that I’ve lived in all my life.
“I’ve put myself forward for selection because I believe that I have the Labour values and the political experience needed to be our next Labour candidate.”
He faces opposition to become the Stretford and Urmston candidate from Joanne Harding, Trafford Council’s executive member for adult social care.
It’s also thought that Tom Hayes, the deputy leader of Oxford Council, will announce a run this weekend.
Stretford and Urmston is a very safe Labour seat in Parliament, with Green winning 60.3 of the vote at the 2019 election.
