Ossett and Denby Dale: Labour Party selects Jade Botterill to fight for new seat at next general election

Jade Botterill was chosen by local party members ahead of the next general election.

The selection meeting took place at Ossett Town Hall on Wednesday, September 27.

Ms Botterill grew up in Wakefield and started her career as a community developer with Wakefield Trinity rugby league club.

She also worked for Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford MP Yvette Cooper for six years.

In a statement, Labour said Ms Botterill’s priorities, if elected, would be to improve healthcare services, local public transport and to make the area a centre for green jobs, skills and innovation.

She said: “A huge thank you to the local members for selecting me as the Labour candidate for Ossett and Denby Dale.

“I promise to work hard every day to represent this brilliant place.

“I am committed to improving public services, making living costs more affordable, and enhancing access to essential services in all our communities.

“Ossett and Denby Dale has been let down by 13 years of Conservative rule, which has destroyed our public services, crashed the economy and decreased our living standards.

“This constituency needs a Labour MP, and this country needs a Labour government.

“I will work tirelessly to make that happen and bring the fresh start we need.”

Ms Botterill’s campaign was backed by Wakefield Council leader Denise Jeffery.

She will compete for the seat against Tory MP Mark Eastwood.

Mr Eastwood, MP for Dewsbury, was adopted as his party’s candidate for the new seat in April, after it emerged that his current constituency would be abolished.

Boundary changes see Horbury, Ossett, Wakefield South and Wakefield Rural council wards grouped with Denby Dale and Kirkburton, in neighbouring Kirklees, to create the cross-border constituency.

The Wakefield constituency, held by Labour’s Simon Lightwood, is to be redrawn to include Rothwell, in Leeds, plus the council wards of Stanley and Outwood East and Wrenthorpe and Outwood West.

Mr Lightwood said: “Jade will be a great representative for the area.

“I’ll continue to work with Jade and our fantastic Labour councillors in these wards to keep up the progress we have achieved since my election in June 2022.

“It’s clear that Jade has the ambition, ideas and experience to win this new seat for Labour.”