WILL SOUTHSHIELDS LABOUR GET A LOCAL CANDIDATE?

Article saying local labour party back Mark Walsh.

A RELATIVE political unknown has emerged as red-hot favourite to succeed David Miliband as the next MP for South Shields.
The Labour Party locally has rallied in support of Coun Mark Walsh, representative for the town’s Horsley Hill ward - after council leader Iain Malcolm decided not to seek his party’s nomination.
Coun Walsh’s first big challenge will come tomorrow when he will come before his party’s National Executive Committee in London.
But if he can win a place on the party’s short-list he stands a great chance of being selected when members of South Shields Constituency Labour Party meet next Wednesday night at the town’s Customs House.
Coun Walsh, 46, who lives in Mortimer Road, South Shields, with his wife Anne, a Labour councillor for Biddick Hall, admitted it was a “bit of a surprise” to be approached to seek the nomination.
He said: “It’s early days. If I get through the interview process in London then it’s on to the hustings with my peers next Wednesday. It will be their choice at the end of the day.”


 Labour council leader backs out of race for SOUTHSHIELDS

Will they heed these words?

Now Coun Malcolm believes the town needs a local candidate, and he is throwing his support behind Coun Mark Walsh.
And he sent out a clear message to Labour’s National Executive – who will put together a short-list of candidates on Saturday – that a local candidate must be on that list.
He said: “I have made it crystal clear to London that we want a local candidate from South Shields.
“I believe Mark Walsh should be on that shortlist. I also believe he would win the selection easily.”