A LEADING Labour strategist emerged last night as the favourite to win the party's nomination for a safe seat in the North-East which has suddenly become vacant.

Dr David Clark, MP for South Shields, announced yesterday that he was standing down at the election. David Miliband, the head of the Downing Street policy unit which advises Tony Blair, immediately flew to the region and is expected to be among the candidates when the South Shields constituency makes its choice for Dr Clark's replacement on Sunday.

A local party activist said last night: "I can confirm that Mr Miliband is interested in the seat. Many people in South Shields and the local Labour Party are very impressed with him and are very keen to support him as candidate."

It is expected that Dr Clark, 61, will go into the House of Lords after the election.

Dr Clark said yesterday that no pressure had been put on him to quit.

"I think it is better there should be a new and younger face in South Shields," he said.

He became Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, effectively the Cabinet Office Minister, after the last General Election, but a whispering campaign, apparently emanating from sources close to the Prime Minister, soon grew against him.

He was popular within the party, and Bishop Auckland MP Derek Foster organised a petition encouraging Tony Blair not to jettison Dr Clark's Freedom of Information Bill.

However, Dr Clark was sacked in the 1998 reshuffle.

Dr Clark and John Prescott were the only members of the Government who left state education at 16. He studied part-time, first for a degree and then a doctorate.

He entered the Commons in 1970 as MP for Colne Valley, a seat he lost in 1974. In 1979, he became MP for South Shields. At the last election he had a majority of 22,156.

He is the second veteran Labour MP to stand down since the election was called. There is speculation that the Tory defector Shaun Woodward will win the nomination for the safe seat of St Helens, vacated by Gerry Bermingham.

Derek Foster confirmed last night he is standing again in the seat he has held for Labour since 1979.

He is opposed by Liberal Democrat councillor Chris Foote Wood and Tory Fiona McNish.