Gateshead councillor Mary Foy has been named as Labour’s new Durham City MP.
Coun Foy, who represents the borough’s Lamesley ward, and is also a member of the authority’s cabinet, defeated three other candidates to be chosen to stand for the city.
Coun Foy has been a Labour member for 30 years and is chair of Blaydon CLP.
A staunch trade unionist she previously retweeted endorsements from union boss Len McCluskey, general secretary of Unite the Union, as well as the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union.
She previously wrote: “My trade unionism runs through everything I do, and if I’m fortunate to be selected as the candidate for City of Durham it will inform all of my campaigning and representation.”
She was elected to Gateshead Council in 2006 and was appointed to the cabinet in 2009, where she holds the portfolio for health and well-being.
Roberta Blackman-Woods, who has represented the City of Durham Parliamentary constituency, announced over the summer she would not be standing for re-election, citing “largely personal reasons.”
It means Labour had to choose a new candidate for the constituency, which Ms Blackman-Woods has represented since 2005.
Ms Blackman-Woods retained her seat at the last general election in 2017 with a majority of more than 12,364 votes.
She was also one of the first Labour front-benchers to back the “People’s Vote” campaign for a referendum on any Brexit deal.
This has now become Labour’s official policy, but it followed a long battle as supporters of a second vote attempted to convince the party leadership to back the idea.
