Labour has announced that a Cheshire councillor will be its candidate in the forthcoming Runcorn and Helsby by-election. It follows the recent decision by Mike Amesbury to quit the House of Commons after he was convicted and given a suspended prison sentence for repeatedly punching a constituent in the street.

Labour has announced it has selected Cheshire West and Chester councillor Karen Shore to contest the expected by-election in Runcorn and Helsby. The by-election is expected to be called after Mike Amesbury announced his intention to stand down as an MP this week.

He won his seat last year with a majority of 14,696 over Reform UK and his resignation will be a first by-election test for Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour Party. “Karen Shore will