Labour candidate for Norwich North selected

A Labour party activist from London has been selected as the candidate to replace Ian Gibson in Norwich North.
Chris Ostrowski, who works for John Lewis, was selected by party members in the constituency this afternoon. He is a University of East Anglia graduate who has been active in the Norwich Labour party in the past.
Four candidates had been shortlisted for the selection by Labour's ruling National Executive Committee. The other three were Victoria MacDonald, the local party secretary, who had been tipped as the front-runner, Michelle Savage, a local member, member of Labour's National Policy Forum and vice-chairman of the East of England regional board, and Ffinlo Costain, an environmental media consultant and former parliamentary candidate.
Around 50 members attended the meeting at the Holiday Inn in north Norwich. Mr Ostrowski said after the selection:
“It's a privilege to get the chance to go from here and speak with my friends and all of the people in Norwich North to ask them to vote for me to become their MP.
“Labour has an excellent record in Norwich. We have delivered seven Sure Start children's centres across the city - in 1997 there were none.
“Crime is falling and the number of police officers is rising.
“Labour have introduced Neighbourhood Policing to help clamp down on anti-social behaviour in our streets and parks and they are working.
“But there is still so much more to do. I know that Norwich is a great place to live, and it deserves the best.
“So let me be clear- we will run a positive campaign.
“We will proudly talk up Labour's achievements and we will always be proud of Norwich. “However, where I think that the threat of Conservative cuts could damage Norwich or hurt the chances of its people, I will speak out.
“This is not negative campaigning, and I will not needlessly raise fears, but people deserve to have the choice put in front of them, and I will always do that.
“I look forward to an energetic and fair campaign, and I can't wait to go from here and meet the voters.”
Norwich South MP Charles Clarke said:
“Chris Ostrowski is a very strong candidate for Labour in the Norwich North by-election. He knows and understands Norwich well and will fight for the needs of his constituents with intelligence and determination.”
The date for the by-election has yet to be set.
SARAH BREALEY
Norwich Evening News 24