Selby Labour candidate stands down (From York Press)

Selby Labour candidate stands down

6:20pm Wednesday 3rd September 2008

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THE Labour Party’s Parliamentary candidate for Selby at the next General Election has decided to stand down following the death of her husband.

Wendy Nichols, who represents the Selby North ward on Selby District Council, was selected by the constituency Labour Party last year to replace standing MP John Grogan as the party’s candidate.

But in June, Mrs Nichols husband of 28 years, Keith, lost his battle with cancer. She has now decided she cannot take on the huge workload of standing for Parliament.

“I don’t think I’m able to give it what it needs at the moment,” she said. “Whoever becomes the candidate needs to be working every hour of the day, and I don’t feel I can do that at the moment because of how I feel.

“With everything that’s happened, I’ve not got the energy. It would d be wrong of me to carry on and not give it 150 per cent.”

On top of her council duties, Mrs Nichols works to oversee North Yorkshire County Council’s employment conditions on behalf of public sector union Unison.

Keith, 56, was a town councillor himself in the 1990s, and stood as a district council candidate last year. He was also a governor for a time at Selby Abbey School.

Nigel Adams, the Conservative parliamentary candidate for Selby and Ainsty, said today: “I am very sorry that Wendy has decided not to stand at the election, but she has been through a dreadful time recently and my thoughts are with her and her family.”

Mr Grogan announced in October 2006 he would not contest the next General Election.

Boundary changes mean the constituency will include Ainsty to the north west of Selby. The MP said he wanted to devote his time to his current constituents, rather than campaigning outside his present constituency.

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