Labour has picked Rochdale councillor Elsie Blundell to fight the fallen ‘red wall’ seat of Heywood and Middleton at the next general election. Coun Blundell, who represents Balderstone and Kirkholt, was confirmed as the party’s parliamentary candidate following a hustings and a vote of local members.
She defeated fellow Rochdale councillors Liam O'Rourke and Iram Faisal, as well as Coun Azhar Ali, leader of Lancashire County Council’s Labour group. It means she will be tasked with wresting back the traditional Labour stronghold, which was among several across the north to fall from the party’s grasp back in 2019.
Incumbent MP Chris Clarkson caused a ‘political earthquake’ in that winter election, pulling off a shock result to become the first Conservative to ever represent the constituency. But with Labour now consistently polling ahead of the Tories, the party will no doubt see it as one of the seats it must win back if it is to return to government.
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