LABOUR hopeful James Frith has been selected as the party’s general election candidate.

Despite an offer to run from Karen Danczuk, the Labour Party chose Mr Frith, who ran in the 2015 election, narrowly missing out on the seat by just 378 votes, to Conservative candidate David Nuttall.

Mr Frith announced his intention to run for the seat last week just days after Mrs Danczuk did.

On Sunday Mrs Danczuk released a statement on Twitter thanking those who have supported her candidacy.

She said since she submitted her application, she has found out, “many parliamentary seats were given first refusal to the previous PPC (party political candidate)”.

She went on to show her support for Mr Frith, saying: “Bury North have a great local candidate. When he last stood I helped on one of his campaign days and he is a great guy.”

She ended her statement with a swipe at the ‘powers that be’, saying Labour wants the ‘core working class’ to campaign and leaflet for the party but ‘the reality is, the underdog isn’t good enough to wear your PPC badge’.

She said: “This is sad, if it wasn’t down to underdogs like me Labour wouldn’t have any MPs. Let’s not be the party of the elite, let’s be the party of the people and let’s have the underdog fighting on issues in parliament only they truly understand.”

Mr Frith thanked Mrs Danczuk for her support, extending an offer for her to come and campaign with him which she accepted saying Mr Frith deserved a ‘second shot’ at the seat.

Mr Frith, former Bury councillor will stand against current Conservative incumbent David Nuttall who is seeking re-election and Liberal Democrat candidate Richard Baum. 

The election will be held on Thursday, June 8.