Wakefield by-election: Conservative councillor Nadeem Ahmed selected as Tory candidate in race to become city's next MP

Nadeem, who has been a district councillor since 2006, was selected by Tory members in the city on Sunday.

He said: “As someone born and bred in Wakefield, I am delighted to be selected as the Conservative candidate.

“I fully understand what it is like to live and work in Wakefield and what needs to be done to ensure the people’s priorities are delivered.

“And I also know people here want an MP to get on with the job and deliver the things people need.

“It is what I would do as an MP - working closely with the Conservative Government to make sure we get the right things done.

“As we continue to bounce back from the pandemic, invest in skills training and recruit more police officers across West Yorkshire, I will show people here I am the best candidate to be MP for Wakefield and continue to build on the good things happening across the city."

The by-election will take place on Thursday June 23.

Last week, NHS worker Simon Lightwood was chosen as the Labour candidate to stand.

His selection came as the entire executive committee of the constituency Labour Party quit in a row over the lack of a local candidate on the shortlist.

The by-election was triggered after Imran Ahmad Khan stepped down from his position as Wakefield MP following his conviction for sexually assaulting a boy at a party in 2008.

He had been the first Conservative to take the seat in nearly 90 years when he beat Labour's Mary Creagh during the 2019 election.

Ahmad Khan, who is due to be sentenced later today, said he was resigning so that he could focus entirely on clearing his name.