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19
Dec 2023
Local Labour activist bids to stand for election in Skipton and Ripon
A local Labour Party activist has announced he is seeking the party's nomination to contest Skipton and Ripon at the next general election.
Starbeck man Chris Watt, 46, has worked for the NHS for 15 years and is involved in a range of community organisations. He previously worked in Westminster for a minister in the last Labour government.
Candidates have until January 10 to put forward their names to stand against Conservative Julian Smith, who has held the seat since 2010.
Announcing his candidature today, Mr Watt said he used to work for the health trust that runs Ripon Community Hospital and community healthcare across the area.
Skipton and Ripon has been held by the Conservatives since it was created in 1983.
It has been designated a "non-battleground" seat by Labour, which is believed to be focusing more on Keighley.
But local Labour members were boosted by political forecasting website Electoral Calculus recently claiming it had a 53% chance of gaining Skipton and Ripon.
Mr Watt said:
Brian McDaid, a Skipton town councillor who finished runner-up to Mr Smith in 2019 with 11,266 votes, has already announced he intends to seek the party nomination again.
Read more:
- Labour starts search for Skipton and Ripon candidate
- Labour Party selects candidate to stand for North Yorkshire mayor
- Labour designates Harrogate and Knaresborough 'non-battleground' seat
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