THE opposition parties are scrambling for votes to try to break Labour's stranglehold on Huddersfield.

But it won't be easy as Barry Sheerman, 61, has more than 20 years' experience as an MP in Huddersfield and is expected to once again claim victory.

The two other main parties have enrolled rising stars to try to mastermind an upset.

The Tories have drafted in David Meacock and he is hoping to pick up votes Mr Sheerman may lose due to Labour's stance on issues like the Iraq war and university tuition fees.

The Liberal Democrats have put their faith in the youngest candidate running in Huddersfield - Emma-Jane Bone, who is aged 33.

The computer programmer from Lancashire is hoping to grab votes with her policies on health, education and the environment.

The other three candidates are also hopeful, claiming they could pick up protest votes against some of the Government's more controversial decisions in their last term.

But Mr Sheerman has to be the favourite after recording a massive 53% of the vote in 2001 - more than double that of the Tory candidate.