Exclusive: Runners and riders for Cities of London and Westminster

More than 20 Labour activists have applied to be the party’s candidate in the newly marginal seat of Cities and London and Westminster.

Trade unionists, former PPCs and a series of councillors have entered the race to for the Tory-held constituency.

It was long seen as a Conservative stronghold but Mark Field’s majority was cut from nearly 10,000 to just 3,148 at the last election.

Ibrahim Dogus, a key figure behind SME4Labour, was Labour’s candidate in the City in June but has not applied again.

Here are the Labour members who are thought to have entered the race:

Murad Qureshi – former London Assembly member who campaigned against public service cuts in the capital.

Barnaby Marder – a former music shop keeper who is backed by NEC rep Christine Shawcroft.

Bill Edwards – food industry expert and former parliamentary candidate in Braintree and Bury St Edmunds.

Cate Tuitt – lawyer and former Richmond Park PPC who also served as vice-chair of London Co-op Party.

Chris Clark – transport worker and TSSA rep who sits on the TUC’s south east executive committee.

Chris Lloyd – Greenwich councillor and former PPC in Brecon and Radnorshire.

Christian Durugo – Londoner who previously served as youth officer for Broxbourne constituency party.

Denise Scott-McDonald – Greenwich council cabinet member and former television producer.

Gordon Nardell – barrister, Unite member and former Southwark councillor.

James Beckles – Newham councillor and public sector worker.

Jason Pritchard – community organiser and City of London councillor.

Joshua Garfield – youth worker and campaigner against homophobic and transphobic bullying.

Khaled Moyeed – City of London solicitor and GMB member who was recently selected to replace a sitting Haringey councillor.

Nick Donovan – campaign director for City-based Global Witness and former military bomb disposal expert.

Rehana Ameer – City of London councillor, GMB member and owner of an IT and management consulting firm.

Rob Wakeley – civil servant and former South West Hertfordshire PPC.

Rohit Dasgupta – academic who stood in East Hampshire this year.

Sucharita Sethi – communications expert who runs a small business.

Vincent Lo – contested Uxbridge and South Ruislip against Boris Johnson this year.

Sam Stopp – Brent councillor and chair of Labour Campaign to End Homelessness.

Christian Wolmar – transport author and former Richmond Park PPC who has long backed pedestrianisation of Oxford Street.

Steven Saxby – vicar backed by Unite who spent part of his childhood in the constituency.