Labour has announced that a Cheshire councillor will be its candidate in the forthcoming Runcorn and Helsby by-election. It follows the recent decision by Mike Amesbury to quit the House of Commons after he was convicted and given a suspended prison sentence for repeatedly punching a constituent in the street.

Labour has selected a candidate to run in the Runcorn and Helsby by-election to replace Mike Amesbury, who said he would quit the Commons after punching a constituent. Cheshire West & Chester councillor Karen Shore will run as Labour’s candidate.

The Runcorn and Helsby MP said he will begin the "statutory process" of winding up his office before resigning as an MP "as soon as possible".

Labour has announced it has selected Cheshire West and Chester councillor Karen Shore to contest the expected by-election in Runcorn and Helsby. The by-election is expected to be called after Mike Amesbury announced his intention to stand down as an MP this week.

He won his seat last year with a majority of 14,696 over Reform UK and his resignation will be a first by-election test for Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour Party. “Karen Shore will