Former Labour official Ellie Reeves selected for safe seat in London

Former NEC member Ellie Reeves has been selected as the Labour candidate in Lewisham West and Penge. The vacancy was created by Labour MP Jim Dowd’s decision to stand down. The south London seat has a 12,714 majority.

Reeves, who lives in the constituency, is a employment law barrister and vice-chair of the London Labour Party. She is married to John Cryer, chair of the parliamentary Labour Party. She was a candidate on the Progress and Labour First slate of NEC candidates last year, but was defeated when the Momentum candidates won through.

The announcement of Reeves’ success came at the end of a short and intense contest under the “exceptional selections procedure” imposed by the party because of the snap election.

Dozens of candidates applied for the safe Labour seat, including councillors and activists from across London, among them Christian Wolmar, the former Richmond Park PPC.