According to the Manchester Evening News (which should know), Marc Ramsbottom, the former leader of the Liberal Democrats on Manchester council, has been selected as the party's candidate in the Manchester Central by-election. Marc lost his council seat in May's elections.
That contest is taking place because the sitting Labour MP Tony Lloyd is standing down from the Commons to stand for election as Greater Manchester's first police and crime commissioner. It is expected that the by-election will take place on the same date as that contest: November 15
Marc Ramsbottom's Labour opponent will be Lucy Powell. Like Jon Ashworth, who was Labour's candidate in the Leicester South by-election last year, she is an aide to Ed Miliband.
Interestingly, the Manchester Evening News says the Liberal Democrats are describing the contest as a 'two horse race' - a striking figure of speech.
2 comments:
Yeah, it was pretty definite that Marc was going to get selected - he was the candidate there at the last two elections, and more than doubled our vote. He'll make a good candidate, but it's one of Labour's safest seats :-/
Shame, as from my experience of her campaign in Manchester Withington in 2010, Lucy Powell will *not* make a good MP, even by Labour standards...
Ye gods! Labour have another one from the parachute regiment!
Best of British luck to Marc; he'll need it, because he'll get creamed in the by-election.
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