Labour has revealed its shortlist to contest the Southport Parliamentary seat at the next General Election – but has snubbed all the Southport and Sefton candidates.
Southport Labour councillor Laura Lunn Bates, one of those hoping to get the chance to compete to become the next Southport MP, said: “I’m disappointed no local candidates are on the shortlist”.
The three names on the shortlist include Liverpool Labour councillor Patrick Hurley. Mr Hurley formerly represented the Mossley Hill area of the city before losing his seat at this year’s local elections as he ran for the newly created Waterfront South ward.
Criminal barrister Ella Crine previously worked on Hilary Clinton’s presidential campaign and was a parliamentary assistant to Wirral South MP Alison McGovern.
Sherwan Chowdhury is a Labour councillor in Broad Green Ward in Croydon, South London.
The current Southport MP is Conservative Damien Moore, who won the 2019 General Election with a 4,147 majority, and has lived in Southport for the past five years.
The lack of local councillors or residents on Labour’s Southport shortlist has caused some contention as well as the fact that any long-listing process has been bypassed, with the selection moving straight to a shortlist.
Councillor Laura Lunn Bates, who represents the Kew Ward in Southport for Labour, posted on Twitter: “I’m disappointed no local candidates are on the shortlist and a shame it’s gone straight to shortlist. As a local councillor, whichever candidate is selected will need to do work to win over members and residents.”
Southport Labour councillor Sean Halsall, who has represented Kew Wartd for the past four years, released a statement after he was omitted from the list.
He said: “It was sad to see the longlist / shortlist for Southport not include any local potential candidates. Most will know I applied to represent our great town and was humbled in the process to receive four out of five of our affiliated trade union nominations.
“I’m a working class lad who was born and raised in this town and it would have been a huge honour to have the chance to represent the town.”
The three shortlisted candidates will now move into full campaign mode ahead of a vote amongst members of the Southport Constituency Labour Party.
The vote is expected to take place on 22nd July 2023.
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