by Sally Churchward.
Councillor Darren Paffey has been selected as the new Labour candidate to stand for MP in Southampton Itchen.
He takes over the role from Simon Letts, former leader of Southampton City Council, who contested the seat on behalf of the Labour Party in 2017 and 2019, losing out on both occasions to Conservative Royston Smith.
Cllr Pafey is currently deputy leader of Southampton City Council and cabinet member for children and learning. He was first elected to serve on the council in May 2011.
He was endorsed to be the Labour Party candidate for Southampton Itchen by cllr Satvir Kaur, who took over as leader of Southampton City Council in May and was selected to be the Labour candidate for Southampton Test in July, as well as by a number of other councillors.
Following the result,Ms Kaur said on Twitter: “So incredibly proud and happy Darren Paffey has been selected today as Itchen’s parliamentary candidate!
We’re already delivering locally and I look forward to working closely with him to deliver nationally as well, returning TWO Labour MPs from Southampton back to Parliament.”
Ahead of the selection meeting, Mr Paffey said: “I want to champion our people and fight our corner in parliament as your MP, so I’m putting myself forward to be Labour’s candidate for Southampton Itchen at the next general election.”
He was selected this morning (August 7) at a meeting of members of the Labour Party in Southampton Itchen, winning in the first round against Jay Morton, Bart van Es, Miriam Rice and Hamid Khan.
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