A NEW Labour parliamentary candidate for Dewsbury and Mirfield has been chosen.

Shahid Malik, 36, of Burnley, was selected to replace current Dewsbury MP Ann Taylor as Labour candidate.

Mrs Taylor plans to step down at the next general election.

Mr Malik, a member of the National Executive Committee, will then have the job of fighting to keep the Dewsbury seat for Labour.

He said he feels at home in Dewsbury, because like Burnley it is a mill town with strong textile heritage.

He added: "The people are decent everyday people and it doesn't matter that I'm a Lancastrian, because to them I'm still a northerner."

Mr Malik was selected through a vote by Labour party members. He faced three other shortlisted hopefuls.

They were:

Jamie Hanley, of Rawdon in Leeds, a 30-year-old lawyer with work links in Dewsbury.

Sameena Khan, 41, from Heckmondwike and who now lives in Middlesex.

She works for the Cabinet Office.

And finally, Ian McKenzie, of Lewisham, an adviser for Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott. He has been an adviser to Mrs Taylor during her time in Dewsbury.