Party refuses to back loyal member

Labour rejects councillor who spent 20 years fighting for seat

ALONG-STANDING Birmingham Labour stalwart has not been picked by his party to fight a national election campaign for the first time in more than 20 years.

Sutton Vesey town and city councillor, Rob Pocock, failed to be selected by the Labour Party to contest the 2019 General Election, for the first time in six elections.

Councillor Pocock has contested every General Election since 2001, battling for the Sutton Coldfield seat in the House of Commons with Andrew Mitchell, the Conservative candidate who is looking to be elected for the sixth time.

The Labour party representative secured the party’s first ever Birmingham City Council seat in 2012, which he has held in two elections since. He refused to be drawn on rumours that he had been victim to a national cull of Labour moderates.

Councillor Pocock said: “Naturally, I’m very disappointed not to have been chosen by Labour’s National Executive to stand again as Sutton’s Parliamentary candidate, despite scoring Labour’s best-ever result here last time.

“However, the most important thing now is for us to stand together and campaign as a united team, to give Labour the best possible chance of winning the election and becoming the next Government.

“I would like to express my thanks to all Sutton residents who have supported my past efforts as your Parliamentary candidate, and wish my successor good luck in the coming campaign.”

David Knowles has instead been selected as the Labour Party’s prospective parliamentary candidate in Sutton. Mr Knowles is currently the head of campaigns and public affairs at the Royal College of General Practitioners – the national body representing GPs.

He previously worked as a senior public affairs adviser for the British Medical Association.

Mr Knowles, who went to King Edward VI Five Ways School in

Bartley Green, said: “I am delighted to have been selected.

“A decade of Tory austerity has hit areas like Sutton Coldfield just as hard as other parts of Birmingham and it is essential that we fly the flag for Labour in areas like ours.

“I am looking forward to building on the incredible work of Rob Pocock and Labour campaigners and ensure that our voice is heard loud and clear across Sutton Coldfield.”

Also selected to stand in Sutton are Jenny Wilkinson, who will contest the seat for the second time for the Liberal Democrats. Ben Auton who will be the Green Party’s candidate.

Mark Hoath had been selected as The Brexit Party’s candidate in Sutton, but has been stood down, following Nigel Farage’s announcement that the party would not contest any of the Conservative held seats.

But he said he believed Mr Farage’s decision was wrong and added: “As a result of being forced to stand down the 51.7 per cent of leavers in Sutton now have no leavers on the ballot.”