Corbyn and Dan Jarvis join Labour’s campaign push in Stoke Central

Labour’s efforts to defend its majority in the Stoke-on-Trent Central by-election received a boost with visits from Jeremy Corbyn and Dan Jarvis.

The party leader and the respected former paratrooper and backbencher visited the Potteries this weekend.

Corbyn launched Labour’s campaign in Stoke shortly after former council leader Gareth Snell was selected last week.

Jarvis, the MP for Barnsley Central, also visited over the weekend, spending time on the doorstep with Snell and Rush Smeeth, MP for the neighbouring Stoke North.

Snell tweeted:

Thanks again, @DanJarvisMP and everyone who has been out leafleting and door knocking this weekend. Huge effort, and greatly appreciated. pic.twitter.com/aalA20wnJ2

— Gareth Snell (@gareth_snell) January 29, 2017

Snell was picked as the candidate last week, beating strong competition from Trudie McGuinness and Allison Gardner. Dr Stephen Hitchin withdrew from the race before the selection meeting citing a need to concentrate on his family.

Earlier last week, Keir Starmer, the shadow Brexit secretary, went to Stoke to join Snell at a ceramics factory visit.

Jess Phillips and Luciana Berger also campaigned in the seat earlier in the week. Rachael Maskell, shadow secretary for the environment has also been spotted on the doorstep, along with Liz McInnes, shadow foreign and commonwealth minister.