A LABOUR councillor has been selected to fight for the York Outer parliamentary seat at next year's General Election.

Cllr Joe Riches, who represents the Holgate ward on City of York Council, will stand down as a councillor to take on sitting Tory MP Julian Sturdy.

He claimed Labour was 'serious' about York Outer, was targeting the seat and was the real challenge to the Conservatives.

"Whilst voting Liberal Democrat gets you a Tory Government anyway, it is clear the choice in York Outer is between a Conservative who fights against jobs and homes and supports the bedroom tax or a Labour MP who stands for jobs, homes and fairness," he said.

York council leader James Alexander, who was Labour's candidate at the last general election, claimed Cllr Riches would make a first class MP. "If I was Julian, I would be very worried," he said.

"Joe has been very popular whilst canvassing in York Outer and it is clear residents are unhappy with the Conservative Liberal Democrat Government favouring the South over the North. Holgate and the council's loss is York Outer's gain."