High Peak MP Robert Largan has congratulated his new opponent, Jon Pearce, upon his selection as the Labour Parliamentary Candidate for High Peak.
The news follows Mr Largan’s own unanimous reselection as the Conservative Party candidate for the High Peak.
High Peak Conservative Party members unanimously reselected the Glossop resident in a meeting of the association’s Executive Committee.
This contrasts with the Labour Party, who’s selection battle was bitterly fought between different factions, with no local candidate in the final shortlist.
Buxton Labour Party member Dave Newton, claimed that the selection has been “a dirty process” and that Labour Party members have been “denied the opportunity to be represented by someone who lives here”.
Derbyshire Young Labour Chair, Will Jones said that he was “devastated” by the selection of Mr Pearce staying that “there are questions which need to be answered regarding how this process was conducted and its integrity”.
According to national journalist, Michael Crick, one Labour Party member stated that the selection "felt like being given a choice of shades of blue to choose for wallpaper."
After going to multiple contested ballots, London-based lawyer Jon Pearce was finally chosen as the Labour Party’s candidate for High Peak at the next general election. He defeated the most local candidate, Stockport resident Claire Vibert.
Mr Pearce lives in St Albans in Hertfordshire, where he has previously stood for election, and is a lawyer at London firm Hempsons, specialising in “large-scale restructurings and redundancies” and “outsourcing”.
Mr Pearce will take on Glossop resident Robert Largan MP, alongside candidates from the Liberal Democrats and the Green Party.
Robert Largan, MP for High Peak, commented:
“A number of Labour Party members have raised concerns about the selection process and obviously that should be looked into. However, I want to congratulate Mr Pearce on becoming the Labour Party candidate. I understand he has been brought in by the Labour Party nationally with the task of cleaning up the widespread anti-Jewish racism within High Peak Labour Party. I sincerely and wholeheartedly wish him the best of luck in this important endeavour.”
