General Election 2017: Kerry Pollard expected to run for Labour in St Albans

Former St Albans MP Kerry Pollard is expected to be Labour’s candidate in the June election.

Mr Pollard, 72, who was the city’s MP between 1997 and 2005, is likely to be selected by Labour’s national executive committee on Thursday.

District Labour leader Cllr Roma Mills ruled herself out of the race earlier this week.

Mr Pollard had previously been Labour’s candidate in the 2015 election, where he increased Labour’s vote share by 5.7 per cent.

However he failed to topple Conservative Anne Main, who won with a majority of 12,000.

The two will reignite their rivalry in the run-up to the snap election announced by Theresa May last week.

Mr Pollard also faces opposition from Liberal Democrat Daisy Cooper.

While MP, he voted against parity in the age of consent between homosexual people and heterosexual people.

Rights for homosexual people has recently dogged Lib Dem leader Tim Farron.

He also voted “determinedly” for Remain in the EU referendum.

Before becoming an MP, Mr Pollard was both a county councillor for St Albans South, and district councillor for Sopwell ward.

At the last election, he spoke out in support of house-building on the Radlett airfield, and returning A&E services to St Albans City Hospital.