Labour names its shortlist for the Leicester South by-election

From the Leicester Mercury:

Jonathan Ashworth, a former adviser to Gordon Brown, is regarded as a front-runner among the hopefuls, who were quizzed by party bosses in London yesterday.

Three Leicester city councillors – Patrick Kitterick, Mian Mayat and Neil Clayton – are also on the list.

The fifth shortlisted candidate is Jennifer Channer, a councillor in Barking and Dagenham.

That shortlist will do little to change the minds of those in Leicester Labour circles who think the whole process is a stitch up for Jonathan Ashworth, who is Ed Miliband's PR adviser.

Later. A reader tells me that the fifth candidate is Josephine Channer - the Mercury got her name wrong.