Conservative party picks candidate to fight election triggered by death of James Brokenshire MP

The Conservative party has announced that Louie French, a local councillor of eight years, will contest the Old Bexley and Sidcup by-election triggered by the death of James Brokenshire MP.

As well as being a councillor for eight years, Louie French also served as deputy leader of Bexley council from 2018 to this year. Upon receiving his nomination, he said: “James Brokenshire was a friend and mentor to me and it’s an honour to have been selected as the Conservative candidate for Old Bexley and Sidcup, where I hope to carry on his excellent work”.

Brokenshire, a former Cabinet minister and the constituency’s MP since 2010, died of lung cancer earlier this month at the age of 53.

The Labour Party have already announced that Daniel Francis, also a former Bexley councillor, will contest the south-east London seat. And Reform Party leader, Richard Tice, has declared his candidacy as well.

The Conservative party have held the Old Bexley and Sidcup constituency since its inception in 1983.