Tynedale-born man selected as Hexham's Labour candidate for upcoming General Election

Joe Morris and James Bryan put their name forward after the party officially opened applications for their candidacy and after being chosen, it is Mr Morris will look to take the seat for Labour for the first time at next year’s election.

He will be up against incumbent Conservative MP Guy Opperman, who has served since 2010 and has already been re-selected to contest the constituency for the Tories.

Mr Morris, who has worked in campaigns and public affairs, said: “It is the honour of my life to be selected to stand in my home seat of Hexham. I grew up here, I went to school here and it’s where I call home.

“As someone who went to Sele First School, Hexham Middle and Queen Elizabeth High School, I will put Hexham, Northumberland and the people of our region first. I will fight for high-skilled, well paid jobs in emerging green industries, for an NHS fit for the future, and the improvement of our local public services.”

The Hexham seat is newly expanded to take in parts of Callerton following a boundary review. The Tories have held the seat since 1923 – bar the years between 1943 and 1951 when it was held by former Tory-turned Speaker of the House of Commons, Douglas Clifton Brown.

Mr Opperman won 54.5 per cent of the vote in 2019, beating out his nearest rival – Labour’s Penny Grennan – by 22.9 per cent, with a 10,549 vote majority.