Former Gravesham mayor to contest Slough seat at general election
15:18, 30 April 2017
A former Mayor of Gravesham has been picked by Labour to contest the seat of Slough at the general election.
Tan Dhesi was chosen as the party's candidate after the sitting MP Fiona Mactaggart announced she was to resign.
However, Mr Dhesi, 38, who stood for the Gravesham constituency in the general election in 2015 faces a dilemma as he is also contesting a county council seat in this week's poll.
It is too late to withdraw from the local election and should he win in the division of Northfleet and Gravesham West, it is possible that there would have to be a by-election.
His prospects of winning in Slough are considered to be reasonable as the party has a majority of 7,300.
Mr Dhesi, who is Sikh and is a borough councillor, said on Twitter: "Humbled to be selected as UK Labour's Parliamentary Candidate for Slough.
"Hope to have the honour of serving the town where I was born & raised."
A spokeswoman for Labour said: “Tan was born and raised in Slough; he is a seasoned campaigner for the Labour Party.”
Mr Dhesi was selected for the county council division ahead of the sitting councillor Narinder Singh-Thand.