Lewisham West selection: Candidates called for interview as new names emerge

Labour officials have invited longlisted candidates for a safe London seat to be interviewed this week.

A vast number of activists have applied for Lewisham West and Penge and those who made it through the first round will be grilled at party headquarters in the coming days.

Several more names have now emerged and the list of members thought to have applied includes:

Marina Ahmad

The former parliamentary and London Assembly candidate is chair of Beckenham constituency Labour Party (CLP) and trained as a barrister.

Abdeslam Amrani

The Lewisham councillor sits on the planning committee and is seen as an expert on international trade.

Kevin Bonavia

The solicitor and Lewisham councillor is best known for his work with Syrian refugees and is a former chair of both the Young Fabians and Young Labour Lawyers. He was Labour’s candidate in Rochford and Southend East in 2010 and is a member of Unite.

Ibrahim Dogus

The entrepreneur and co-chair of SME4Labour is perhaps best-known for his role in the popular British Kebab Awards, which is attended by activists from across the party. He is also the founder director of the Centre for Turkey Studies.

Jane East

The international development worker contested Colne Valley seat in Yorkshire for Labour at the last general election. She has worked for Christian Aid for several years, including a spell in Nigeria.

Tom Gann

A Momentum activist from south London who in a recent blog appeared to offer donate part of the MP’s salary to community organising.

Ian Kearns

The former deputy director of the IPPR, a left-leaning think tank, lives in Lewisham and is a former chair of the neighbouring Lewisham Deptford constituency Labour Party (CLP). He co-founded and previously directed the European Leadership Network, a pan-European NGO.

Ellie Reeves

The employment law barrister narrowly lost her place on the NEC last year, when a series of pro-Corbyn candidates won through, but is well-known in the capital due to her role as vice-chair of London Labour Party. She is married to John Cryer, chair of the parliamentary Labour Party (PLP), while Lewisham West and Penge is her home constituency.

Sam Russell

The Lewisham West activist contested Hertsmere for Labour in 2010 and stood for Bexley and Bromley in last year’s London Assembly elections.

Chris Summers

The Ealing councillor contested Uxbridge and South Ruislip against Boris Johnson in 2015 and describes himself as a “loyal Corbynite”.

Cate Tuitt

The Co-op activist and former councillor in Tower Hamlets in east London is well known in the capital and has previously been shortlisted for a string of marginal seats.

Christian Wolmar

The transport expert and author who contested the Richmond Park by-election for Labour last year has thrown his hat in the ring. He has frequently spoken out over his belief that Brexit will be a “disaster” for the country.