A Stockport councillor who was reelected to his ‘ultra-marginal’ seat in May has promised voters it will be ‘business as usual’ after announcing his bid to become an MP. Councillor David Meller comfortably held on in Cheadle Hulme North two months ago after becoming the ward’s first Labour councillor in nearly 50 years back in 2018.
But now the former regeneration boss - who oversaw a number of ambitious and sometimes controversial projects - has declared his aspiration to stand as Labour’s candidate in High Peak at the next general election. The 36-year-old, who works in education, believes he is the ‘new, fresh and energetic candidate’ the party needs to win the seat back from the Conservatives - citing his record in Cheadle Hulme North among his credentials.
Despite his parliamentary aspirations, however, Coun Meller has vowed he will not be distracted from his ward obligations and responsibilities to Stockport more broadly. In an open letter to voters, he acknowledges the move may not come as a surprise, given he has ‘spent quite a bit of time’ in High Peak recently.
