Kingswood by-election: Lewisham mayor selected as candidate

A London borough mayor has stepped down to stand for a parliamentary seat in a by-election triggered when an MP quit over new oil and gas licences.

Conservative Chris Skidmore formally resigned as an MP for Kingswood, on the outskirts of Bristol, over the government's energy plans.

Mayor of Lewisham Damien Egan will be Labour's candidate for the seat, held by the party from 1992 to 2010.

A date for the parliamentary by-election is yet to be announced.

Mr Egan, who is already Labour's general election candidate for Bristol North East, thanked his supporters and said he was proud of the council's achievements.

Mr Egan, who grew up in the Kingswood area, became a councillor for Lewisham Central in 2010 and has been the elected mayor - equivalent to a council leader in other boroughs - since 2018.

A Lewisham mayoral election will be held in due course.

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