The Tories have selected their candidate to stand in the City of Durham in the upcoming General Election.

Spennymoor councillor Luke Allan Holmes will stand to be MP facing Labour incumbent Mary Kelly Foy.

Holmes said he was thrilled at the selection.

He said: “I am thrilled to have been selected as the Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for the City of Durham constituency.

“I want to express my heartfelt thanks to members of the City of Durham Conservatives for their incredible support and I look forward to working with you all in the weeks and months ahead.”

In 2019 the Tories secured 31.7% of the vote in Durham, losing out to Foy who won a majority of more than 5,000 despite a 13.4% fall in Labour’s vote.

Pollsters Electoral Calculus believe Labour has a 98% chance of winning again in Durham and predict Sir Keir Starmer's party to see 10 percentage point increase in their vote share.

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It’s widely believed the General Election will be held this year.

Local Conservative Party Chairman, John Sandles, commented: “The City of Durham Conservatives are delighted that local members have selected Luke to be their parliamentary candidate for the upcoming general election.

“Luke’s experience as a Durham County Councillor has given him strong insight into local issues, but also the capability to address these. His extensive campaigning knowledge and energy will make him a strong candidate against other Party candidates. We are all looking forward to supporting Luke with his campaign.”