Ealing Councillor Ben Wesson fails in his attempt to become the Labour candidate for Northampton South following a husting over the weekend. 

The local Labour party announced on Sunday 5th March that Mike Reader would be their candidate in the next election. 

Wesson, who is the Ealing councillor for the Pitshanger ward, had been in the running to become the candidate but ultimately came up short. 

He took to Twitter to congratulate Reader after the announcement, he said: "Congratulations to Mike Reader - Labour's candidate for Northampton South. A hard fought and close selection.  

"Thank you to everyone who supported me and took part in the process. Now let's all focus on winning a Labour government." 

Ealing Liberal Democrats questioned Wesson's priorities last week over whether he had been concentrating on his duties as a councillor whilst he was campaigning in Northampton. 

Gary Malcolm said: "Councillor Ben Wesson needs to make his mind up whether he lives in Northampton or Ealing. Pitshanger residents deserve to be represented by councillors who lives locally, not fifty miles away." 

As part of his campaign, Wesson made a point of saying that he lived in Northampton and that this made him better qualified for the role, meaning that he does not live in Ealing.