Labour has picked Rochdale councillor Elsie Blundell to fight the fallen ‘red wall’ seat of Heywood and Middleton at the next general election.
Coun Blundell, who represents Balderstone and Kirkholt, was confirmed as the party’s parliamentary candidate following a hustings and a vote of local members.
She defeated fellow Rochdale councillors Liam O'Rourke and Iram Faisal, as well as Coun Azhar Ali, leader of Lancashire County Council’s Labour group.
It means she will be tasked with wresting back the traditional Labour stronghold, which was among several across the north to fall from the party’s grasp back in 2019.
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