Leading Brown aide on shortlist to fight safe Yorkshire seat

ONE of Gordon Brown’s top aides has made it onto the shortlist for a safe Labour seat in the region, the Yorkshire Post can reveal.

Michael Dugher, the Prime Minister’s political spokesman, is one of four candidates vying to fight Barnsley East for Labour at the General Election after current MP Jeff Ennis announced he was standing down.

With a notional majority of 17,000 once changes to the constituency boundaries are taken into account, the seat is highly-prized.

Mr Dugher, who was born in Edlington, in the neighbouring constituency, will be up against charity worker Sally Waters, former Yorkshire MEP David Bowe and Hammersmith and Fulham councillor Lisa Homan.

It means disappointment for outspoken Barnsley councillor Tim Cheetham who had been keen to apply after council leader Steve Houghton – tipped to have been a front-runner in the contest – ruled himself out and said he wanted to continue in his current job.

Results of the selection, for one of Yorkshire’s safest Labour seats, are likely to be known a week on Monday.