Race to be Mayor continues despite shock ruling

Yesterday, the Labour Party’s National Executive Committee brought in a new rule that MPs have to stand down from Parliament if they are selected for another elected role - including Mayor.

Barnsley MP Dan Jarvis and Sheffield councillor Ben Curran had been battling to be selected as Labour’s candidate for the Sheffield City Region Mayor.

Labour Party members have spent the past couple of weeks voting and the result was due to be announced on Friday.

But this last-minute rule change by the NEC means Mr Jarvis would have to quit as an MP if he wanted to be the Mayoral candidate.

Mr Jarvis has not commented on the new rule - nor has he stood down from the Mayoral race so the Labour Party selection will go ahead as planned in 48 hours.

Mr Jarvis has never made any secret of the fact that if elected as Mayor, he would continue to be an MP.

It has always been custom for MPs to stand down if they get another role but the new rule states MPs “must agree to stand down from Parliament as a pre-condition of being endorsed as a candidate to any other elected public office.”

The Yorkshire and Humber Regional Labour Party, which is organising the selection process, declined to comment.