'I'm surprised he isn't local' - Harrogate's Tory MP hits out at Lib Dem's choice of parliamentary candidate

After Harrogate and Knaresborough Liberal Democrats announced that Tom Gordon, a campaigner on local transport and health services in Yorkshire, would be battling for the seat next time round, the town’s current Tory MP expressed surprise that the Lib Dems had not, he claimed, chosen someone “more local”.

Andrew Jones MP said: “I was a little surprised by Mr Gordon’s selection as I sensed a real desire among friends who are occasional Liberal Democrat supporters for a local candidate this time.

"This is why I thought the other candidate, local councillor Matt Walker, was a shoo-in.

"It is interesting that the Greens have gone local, too, selecting Paul Ko Ferrigno who, like me, lives here in Harrogate."

Tom Gordon, 28, works for a national carers charity and is leader of the Lib Dem group on Wakefield Council, having represented his home town of Knottingley since 2019.

He has already received the backing of Lord Willis, who represented Harrogate and Knaresborough from 1997 until 2010 when Andrew Jones won the first of four general election victories for the Conservative Party, the most recent in 2019.

Mr Gordon “would make a fantastic MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough”, he said.

But Harrogate and Knaresborough’s Conservative MP Andrew Jones, who will be defending a majority of 9,675 at the general election, which must take place by January 2025, says he is is keen to fight for a fifth straight victory.

“Candidate selection is a matter for political parties and the local Conservative Party will be going through its procedures later this year when we have final clarity on the boundary changes for the constituency, “ Mr Jones said.

"I will be asking the local party to formally re-adopt me as their candidate for the next general election at that point.

"I look forward to debating the issues with Mr Ko Ferrigno, Mr Gordon and the yet-to-be-selected Labour candidate and submitting our cases to the electorate who will make their choice.”