LABOUR party members have picked their candidate for a seat set to be one of the key battlegrounds in the 2015 General Election.

Louise Baldock has been selected as Labour candidate for Stockton South, which is being defended by present Conservative MP James Wharton with a majority of just 332.

Labour members chose the Liverpool City Councillor to be their candidate at a hustings event in Stockton yesterday (Saturday, July 6).

The 47-year-old  was raised in Stockton, graduated from Teesside Polytechnic and started her working life in the area.

She is currently runs a small business and is a Liverpool City Councillor, where she lives. 

Ms Baldock, whose family still live in Stockton, is an experienced campaigner and recently helped lead a nationwide grassroots campaign against the bedroom tax.

She said: “The communities of Stockton South have given me and my family so much throughout my life and it is great to be given the opportunity to give something back.

“Many local families are really struggling because of the disastrous economic policies of this Tory-led government. Our public services have been cut and cut again. Over 500 families have been hit by the bedroom tax in Thornaby alone.

“The campaign starts now. I’ll be out knocking doors, from tomorrow morning right through to polling day to listen to local people and win back this seat for Labour.”

Nigel Cooke, chair of Stockton South constituency Labour Party, said: “Louise is a formidable campaigner with strong local roots.

“We’re all looking forward to campaigning alongside her over the coming years to win the next election for Labour.”

Mr Wharton had claimed on Friday that trade union Unite was trying to force a “far-left candidate” on the seat.

Quoting a leaked document, he said the union was pushing Darlington councillor Linda Hughes into the Labour candidateship.

He said the document showed Unite was offering financial support to Labour branches if they selected members to stand for Parliament, including Stockton South.

But Councillor Hughes – beaten by Ms Baldock in the selection process– said Mr Wharton should spend less time “playing politics” and more time dealing with the real issues affecting local people.