Shortlist announced for Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough by-election

Two councillors and a doctor have been shortlisted in the Labour selection race for Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough. Jayne Dunn, Jayne Lim and Gill Furniss will go into tomorrow’s selection meeting, where Labour members in the constituency will vote for a candidate for the upcoming by-election.

The shortlist was chosen following interviews with a three-person NEC panel yesterday. All of the candidates to make the shortlist are women, although the selection was not designated as an official all-woman shortlist (AWS). There has been concern in some quarters over the number of women selected as Labour candidates in by-elections: more than twice as many men have been selected as women in by-elections over the past six years.

No date has yet been set for the by-election, which was caused by the passing of Harry Harpham – whose widow, Gill Furniss, is in the running to succeed him. There is some speculation that polling day could be delayed until May, to coincide with local elections.

Jayne Dunn and Gill Furniss are both councillors in Sheffield, with Dunn the Cabinet member responsible for housing on the council. Jayne Lim, meanwhile, is a junior doctor and health economist.