Richard Tice says he is considering standing in Hartlepool

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Labour has selected former MP Dr Paul Williams as their candidate for the vacant seat. The party’s Mike Hill stepped down from representing Hartlepool earlier this week after claims of sexual harassment, which he denies.

The by-election is the first test of Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership.

It will take place in the so-called “red wall” of the party’s heartlands where dozens of seats elected a Tory MP for the first time in 2019.

Dr Williams was ousted from Parliament in 2019 after representing the seat of Stockton South for just two years.

His seat was one of those in the North East which turned from red-to-blue on the back of Boris Johnson’s pledge to “get Brexit done”.

Last night Dr Williams was officially announced as the Labour candidate, with the Hartlepool Constituency Labour Party describing him as “the standout choice”.

“We wanted a candidate in place early so we can use every day campaigning for Labour and put across our positive message,” they added.

Conservative party chair, Amanda Milling, said: “Labour’s candidate is a failed former MP who has already been rejected by the people of the North East.

“At the EU Referendum in 2016 Hartlepool voted 69.6 percent to Leave.

“Paul Williams wanted to remain in the EU and worked to frustrate Brexit.”

Dr Williams was a vocal advocate of a second referendum while he was an MP.

Ms Milling added: “He lost his seat in 2019 because he did not respect the views of the people he represented.

“Only the Conservatives got Brexit done and will deliver on the people’s priorities in Hartlepool.”

However, Labour is hoping to exploit the fact Dr Williams has been “working on the front line during the ongoing pandemic” at Hartlepool hospital to build trust with the electorate.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said: “Paul has already been keeping local people safe as a doctor during the Covid crisis – he will be a powerful voice for the town as its next MP.

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“I can’t wait to campaign alongside him.

“Over the last year, the Labour Party has been listening and changing: returning the party to the people.

“That’s why at this election we’ll be fighting to secure Hartlepool’s local economy, protect its NHS and then rebuild the town after the pandemic.”

The seat has been held by Labour since it was established in 1974.

It was the seat of Lord Peter Mandelson, a former cabinet minister and one of the architects of New Labour.

He held a majority of over 17,000 in 1997.

In 2019 Mike Hill clung on with a majority of just 3,595.

He saw his share of the vote plunge compared to 2017 as the Conservatives made thier advances in the north.

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