5:29pm Tuesday 7th August 2007
By Rob Devey
THE SIX people who will fight to the wire for the right to defend MP Brian Iddon's Bolton South-east seat at the next General Election have been chosen.
Dr Iddon's decision to retire rather than fight for a fourth term as MP sparked massive interest in what is a safe Labour seat, with 53 applications received.
Consituency chairman Kevin Meagher and London barrister Yasmin Qureshi were guaranteed places on the shortlist following nominations from the local party branches.
Nine other candidates who received at least one nomination from branches, Labour clubs and trade unions, were competing for the remaining four places on the list.
And they have now been filled after a secret vote among the 25 members of the constituency's general management committee, which heard presentations from seven of the contenders.
Bolton Council executive member for regeneration, Cllr Akhtar Zaman; Hackney councillor, Nargis Khan; Julie Hilling, vice-chair of the Bolton West constituency party and Altrincham vet Richard Jackson, were the successful candidates.
Serving Eccles MP Ian Stewart, whose seat is being scrapped because of constituency boundary changes, missed out, despite winning the most trade union nominations.
Phil Collins, formerly Tony Blair's chief speechwriter, and Salford councillor James King, who were both unable to attend the meeting, also missed out.
The other unsuccessful candidates were Joan Veitch, who works for the NHS in Salford and Mubarik Iqbal, a member of the Bradford West constituency party.
Nearly three weeks of intense campaigning now lie ahead for the shortlisted candidates before the vote to decide the overall winner at a meeting of all constituency members on Sunday August 26.
Bolton councillor Ismail Ibrahim, the constituency secretary, said that all six candidates had local links.
Ms Qureshi's father lived in Great Lever and Ms Khan grew up there, while Mr Jackson campaigned in Little Lever during May's local election.
Cllr Ibrahim said: "I don't think members purposely went out to choose local candidates but they have chosen who they feel would be best for the constituency.
"There have been tough choices throughout because we have been lucky to have people with a wealth of talent interested in the seat and the presentations from the candidates were fantastic.
"It is without a doubt going to be a very close contest now because all six candidates have their strengths."
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