I won't try for commons says council leader

Coun Houghton, who had been tipped as the frontrunner for the safe Labour seat of Barnsley East and Mexborough after Mr Ennis's surprise announcement earlier this month, said he wanted to continue in his current job.

Yesterday the Labour party announced the candidate would be chosen from an open shortlist amid speculation that the drive to increase diversity would mean it would be women-only, which local officials had opposed.

Coun Houghton, encouraged by senior Labour figures in the region, admitted he had been tempted to apply but said he was in the middle of

a project to rebuild Barnsley.

"I'm quite happy in the job I'm doing," he said.

"There's a big agenda here in Barnsley and I want to see that through."