Six more Labour parliamentary candidates selected over the weekend

Six more Constituency Labour Parties (CLPs) met over the weekend to select candidates for the next election. In Liverpool West Derby, incumbent MP Ian Byrne faced a reselection battle after local members and affiliates voted for a full selection process, while members in Camberwell and Peckham met to pick a successor to long-standing MP Harriet Harman. Elsewhere in Camborne and Redruth, North Swindon, Wolverhampton North East and Wycombe, local members selected candidates to challenge their current Tory MPs.

Here’s a quick look at those selected…

Camberwell and Peckham

Miatta Fahnbulleh was selected by members in Camberwell and Peckham. Fahnbulleh is currently chief executive of left-wing think tank the New Economics Foundation (NEF), a role she has held since 2017. She was previously director of policy and research at the Institute of Public Policy Research (IPPR) and also served as a policy adviser to the then leader of the opposition, Ed Miliband, from 2013 to 2015. Prior to that, she held roles in the Cabinet Office and the Prime Minister’s strategy unit. Her endorsements included unions the RMT, Usdaw, the CWU, Community and the TSSA, along with Open Labour, SERA and the Labour Campaign for International Development.

Fahnbulleh reportedly won on the first ballot. Commenting following the result, she said: “I’m absolutely elated to have been selected as Labour’s parliamentary candidate for Camberwell [and] Peckham! Thank you to local party members [and] all those who supported me because they want this community to have a national voice fighting for the big ideas that change our lives.”

Camborne and Redruth

Local members in Camborne and Redruth chose Perran Moon to be their candidate for the next election. Moon has been a councillor on Cherwell council in Oxfordshire since 2019, representing Banbury Grimsbury and Hightown ward. Outside of politics, he has worked in communications for more than 25 years and currently holds the role of chief marketing officer for Liberty Charge, an electrical vehicle charging firm. He was born and grew up in the constituency. Moon’s endorsements included Community, Labour Coast & Country, SME4Labour and the Labour Campaign for International Development.

He tweeted following the result: “As a Redruth lad, to be selected to represent [Labour] at the next general election in [Camborne, Redruth and Hayle] is the greatest honour of my life.”

Liverpool West Derby

Ian Byrne won his reselection battle in Liverpool West Derby, beating challenger Anthony Lavelle, a local councillor. The incumbent MP was first elected to represent the seat in 2019 with a majority of 29,984 votes. Prior to entering parliament, Byrne co-founded the Fans Supporting Foodbanks organisation, a community initiative through which football fans work to tackle food poverty in Liverpool.

During his time as an MP, Byrne has led on the Right to Food campaign, which seeks to make access to food a legal right for all. LabourList spoke to Byrne about the campaign last year. The MP currently sits on both the levelling up, housing and communities committee and the environment, food and rural affairs committee and chairs the Hillsborough Law Now campaign. He was named MP of the year at the Patchwork Foundation MP awards earlier this year.

Byrne reportedly won the contest by 210 votes to 198. He released a brief statement following the result, thanking members for voting for him and declaring: “I won’t let you down.” His campaign received a considerable number of endorsements, including unions ASLEF, the CWU, the GMB, UNISON, Unite and Usdaw and deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner and Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham.

North Swindon

North Swindon CLP opted for Chris Lloyd as its candidate. Lloyd has been a councillor in Greenwich in London since 2014, representing West Thamesmead ward. He previously stood as the Labour candidate in Brecon and Radnorshire at the 2010 election, coming in third behind the Lib Dem and Conservative candidates. The following year, he was selected as the candidate to fight the same seat in the Welsh parliament. Prior to this, he worked as a research assistant and office manager for Louise Ellman MP. Outside of politics, Lloyd works in public affairs and currently holds the role of external affairs lead at the Civil Aviation Authority.

Tweeting following the result, Lloyd said: “This means the world to me! I won’t let you down! Let’s go out and win this together!” His endorsements included Usdaw, TSSA, ASLEF, Unite and Community.

Wolverhampton North East

Sureena Brackenridge was selected by Labour members in Wolverhampton North East. Brackenridge is a local deputy headteacher. She was previously mayoress of Wolverhampton for the 2021-2022 term when her husband, local councillor Greg Brackenridge, served as mayor.

Wycombe

Emma Reynolds was chosen by members in Wycombe. Reynolds was MP for Wolverhampton North East from 2010 to 2019, when she was unseated by Tory candidate Jane Stevenson. During her time in parliament, she held various shadow cabinet roles including Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government. She currently holds the role of managing director of public affairs, policy and research at financial lobby group TheCityUK. Her endorsements included shadow domestic violence minister Jess Phillips and MPs Harriet Harman, Stephen Timms and Mark Hendrick.

Reynolds reportedly won on the third ballot, beating runner-up Tom Rutland, a councillor in Lambeth, by 152 votes to 110. Commenting following the result, Reynolds said: “I am delighted that local Labour Party members have selected me as their prospective parliamentary candidate. Having served previously as an MP for nearly a decade and a shadow cabinet minister, I bring the energy, skills and experience to take on Steve Baker at the next election.

“This Conservative government has left local people facing falling living standards, soaring food and energy prices and our NHS on its knees. Only a Labour government will put our public finances back on a sustainable footing and invest in our public services.”