Four in battle for MP Pendry's seat

February 19, 2001

FOUR Labour hopefuls are in line to contest veteran Tom Pendry's parliamentary seat.

Former minister Mr Pendry is retiring from the Commons. Now his local party has a shortlist of four candidates - for selection on February 26 - to fight the Stalybridge and Hyde seat.

Kate Cruickshank, sales consultant with B & Q and a mother of two who was a Tameside councillor, is on the shortlist.

Jim Fitzpatrick, a long- serving Tameside councillor from Hyde, and Jane Milton from Stalybridge, a project director with the company working on the east Manchester regeneration scheme, are also in the running.

And James Purnell, a Tony Blair policy adviser who has worked with Mr Pendry on matters concerning their mutual interest in sport, is also up for selection.