Tim Leaver will be challenging an incumbent Conservative MP in the county at this year’s general election

Tim Leaver (inset) will be campaigning this year in Hunstanton and other parts of North West Norfolk (credit Neil Theasby via Wikimedia Commons)

Enfield Council’s cabinet member for finance has been selected as a parliamentary candidate for the Labour Party in Norfolk.

Tim Leaver, who has been in charge of the civic centre’s finances during the “most challenging ever” period in the council’s history, was announced today (Thursday 14th) as the Labour candidate for North West Norfolk at this year’s general election.

The seat includes the town of King’s Lynn and coastal resort of Hunstanton. It’s not clear whether Cllr Leaver had any prior links to the area before being selected.

Cllr Leaver will be challenging Conservative James Wild, who will be defending a 19,922-vote majority after first winning the seat in 2019. It has not been a Labour-held seat since 2001.

In a report by Lynn News, Cllr Leaver is quoted as saying: “It’s a real honour to be selected as Labour’s candidate for North West Norfolk – a beautiful and diverse area with great community spirit.

This story is published by Enfield Dispatch, Enfield's free monthly newspaper and free news website. We are a not-for-profit publication, published by a small social enterprise. We have no rich backers and rely on the support of our readers. Donate or become a supporter.

“Residents are being badly let down by the Tory MP and a chaotic Tory government in Westminster.

“It’s my mission now to replace the tired and ineffective representation of the past, and to get on with fixing our broken NHS, cleaning up our environment and delivering a new deal for working people.”

The Dispatch approached Cllr Leaver today to ask what his selection will mean for his role at the civic centre but has not received a response.

Conservative group leader Alessandro Georgiou offered a cynical reaction to the news on Twitter, posting: “Good strategy from Tim here. Doing his best to bankrupt Enfield Council as cabinet member for finance and now trying to run away from his mess. Good news is the people of North West Norfolk will see through him as we have here.”

Update (6.20pm):

Cllr Leaver said: “My work representing residents and delivering on Enfield Council’s priorities continues as long as I have the privilege of being an Enfield councillor and cabinet member.

“If the people of North West Norfolk elect me as their MP, it will be a proud moment for Enfield. It’s not every day that a local lad from a working class background is accepted by another community to represent them in one of the highest political positions.”

No news is bad news

Independent news outlets like ours – reporting for the community without rich backers – are under threat of closure, turning British towns into news deserts.

The audiences they serve know less, understand less, and can do less.

In celebration of Indie News Week, Public Interest News Foundation's Indie News Fund will match fund all donations, including new annual supporter subscriptions for the month of June.

If our coverage has helped you understand our community a little bit better, please consider supporting us with a monthly, yearly or one-off donation.

Choose the news. Don’t lose the news.

Monthly direct debit

Annual direct debit

£5 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else, £10 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else and a print copy posted to them each month. £50 annual supporters get a digital copy of each month's paper before anyone else.