THE Conservative Party has revealed its candidate to fight the seat of North Durham at the forthcoming General Election.

Mark Watson, of Kimblesworth, Chester-le-Street, has been chosen to fight the seat currently held by Labour's Kevan Jones with a majority of 18,600.

Constituents are invited to a meet-the-candidate dinner, when Mr Watson will answer questions, at Beamish Park Golf Club, at 7pm on Saturday, April 2. Tickets are £15 and can be booked by sending a cheque, payable to North Durham Conservative Association, to chairman Frank Lumsden, Blessings, 24 Brackenbeds Close, Pelton, Chester-le-Street, DH2 1XH.

Meanwhile, a senior Conservative MP visited Durham City this week as campaigning got under way ahead of the expected election.

Former Shadow Secretary of State for International Development John Bercow MP was in the city for several engagements. After visiting sixth-formers at Durham Johnston School, Mr Bercow spoke at St John's College about recent visits to Darfur, Zimbabwe, Burma and the Middle East, and how to overcome poverty and oppression.

He was joined on the platform by Ben Rogers, the Tory candidate for the City of Durham constituency.