Trafford Council leader Andrew Western is confirmed as the Labour Party's candidate for Stretford and Urmston at the next election.

Cllr Western was selected by the party's members from a shortlist which also contained colleague Joanne Harding and Iram Woolley.

After his selection, which came at a hustings on June 26, Cllr Western took to social media to thank these members for their support.

He tweeted: "I'm absolutely delighted to have been selected as the [Labour Party's] candidate for Stretford and Urmston, thank you to members for placing your trust in me."

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Cllr Harding, executive member for culture, leisure and strategic partnerships, and Ms Woolley, who is from the London Borough of Ealing and is also understood to be a prospective parliamentary candidate in Derby North, congratulated Cllr Western in response.

Cllr Harding said: "Congratulations to my colleague Andrew Western – you will be a fantastic MP and I look forward to campaigning with and for you at the next election."

Ms Woolley said: "Congratulations and well done to Andrew Western, commiserations Joanne Harding."

Cllr Western has led the the borough's Labour Group since 2014 and the council since 2018.

He challenged Sir Graham Brady for Altrincham and Sale West at the last two elections and returned 38.8 per cent then 36.8 per cent of the vote, but was beaten both times.

However, he is now in with an excellent change of replacing Kate Green as the MP for Stretford and Urmston in 2024, or before if the next election is earlier than scheduled.

This is because it is a safe seat for the Labour Party since its creation in the 1990s and it returned a large majority of more than 16,000 for Ms Green two and a half years ago.

If elected, Cllr Western will be the first male MP for Stretford and Urmston.

The Labour Party once used all-women shortlists to replace women who stepped down in an attempt to improve representation in Parliament, but this is no longer the case.

It is not yet known who will stand against Cllr Western for the other parties.