Labour's Julia Buckley selected to fight Shrewsbury seat at next general election

Councillor Julia Buckley, the leader of Shropshire Labour Group and councillor for Bridgnorth West & Tasley, won a ballot held at Belvidere in Shrewsbury on Saturday.

Some 189 local Labour Party members attended a three-hour hustings event and a further 133 sent in postal and electronic ballots. Forty-eight year old Councillor Buckley won the ballot on first preferences in a contest with other shortlisted would-be MPs David Parton and Carissma Griffiths.

Councillor Buckley said: “ I’m delighted to have been selected to contest Shrewsbury & Atcham for Labour.

"With my track record as the leader of the Labour group, I am familiar with the key issues here in Shrewsbury. I am ready for a full-time campaign over the next year and I have experience of fighting, and beating the Conservatives in Shropshire.

"As a target seat for the Labour Party we have an excellent chance of winning our seat and our large team of volunteers will work night and day until we do.”

Councillor Buckley previously stood as her party's parliamentary candidate in 2019 when she secured 19,804 votes during the snap December election, bucking the national swing, before going on to win the local council election in May 2021 with a swing of 15 per cent.

Defeated candidate David Parton said he looked forward to helping his colleague become the constituency's first female MP at the next general election.

"My warmest congratulations to Julia Buckley on her selection as Labour’s next candidate for Shrewsbury & Atcham."

He promised his "honest and complete support" in the election contest.

England's three biggest political parties now have their candidates in place to contest the seat that is currently held by Conservative Daniel Kawczynski at the next election.