Lambeth mayor Ibrahim Dogus and former MP and Corbyn aide Katy Clark have both been shortlisted to replace Kate Hoey as Labour’s candidate for Vauxhall, the New Statesman has learned.
The full shortlist of five candidates is as follows:
Claire Holland — deputy leader of Lambeth council
Florence Eshalomi — London Assembly member for Lambeth and Southwark
Stephen Beer — former chair of Vauxhall Constituency Labour Party
Ibrahim Dogus — Lambeth councillor and mayor
Katy Clark — former political secretary to Jeremy Corbyn; MP for North Ayshire and Arran, 2005-15
Give a gift subscription to the New Statesman this Christmas from just £49
The selection process thus far has been fraught with controversy. Vauxhall CLP’s general council voted unanimously for an all-woman shortlist, only to be ignored by Labour’s ruling National Executive Committee.
Dogus, a restaurateur whose annual British Kebab Awards has earned him a considerable media profile in Westminster, starts the race with the endorsement of Unite, the CWU, Usdaw, the GMB and Bakers’ Union.
His candidacy nonetheless divides opinion locally, as does Clark’s. The former MP nonetheless has the backing of the organised local left. It emerged today that she had also applied for selection in Ilford South, despite living in Vauxhall.
Content from our partners
Related
