Labour nominee elected for Derby North seat

Description:

Chris Williamson has been nominated by party members on Saturday to represent Labour in the fight for the hotly-contested Derby North seat

He said if elected, he would resist being "sucked into the Westminster bubble" and concentrate on local issues.

Derby North has been a Labour seat since 1997, when Bob Laxton was elected and Mr Williamson represented Derby's Normanton ward as a councillor since 1991,

He said, he will not be giving up his work in local government, nor standing down as party leader in the city.

"The work as a councillor keeps you grounded and I feel that grass roots experience will help me. It's dealing with the bread and butter issues that people really care about and that are what I believe politics is about."

"I've spent years fighting locally to ensure Derby people have the best services, and it would be wonderful to be able to take that to Parliament."

Mr Williamson was one of seven contenders for the Labour candidature for the Derby North seat, after Bob Laxton said he was to stand down. Party members gathered at a private hustings to hear the candidates speak, before voting.

The other two main parties have already selected their candidates – senior city councillor Lucy Care for the Lib Dems and software company director Stephen Mold for the Conservatives.