Adam Harrison missed out in the City of Chester constituency, where he was born

CAMDEN’S environment chief has become the latest Labour frontbencher to reveal his parliamentary ambitions – with a failed attempt to win a candidate selection contest in Chester.

Adam Harrison, who has fronted the introduction of new cycle lanes and a post-Covid road map for the borough, had wanted to stand in a by-election on December 1. With polls ratings in their favour, Labour is looking to defend the City of Chester constituency with a 6,000 lead, and Sunday’s candidate selection meeting in Cheshire had been seen as a passport to the House of Commons.

The seat has became vacant after Labour MP Chris Matheson resigned following a standards investigation which found he made “unwanted and unwelcome sexual advances” to a junior member of his staff. He has disputed some elements of the final findings but also apologised to the people of Chester – he had first been elected there in 2015.

Mr Harrison is one of the longest-serving members of Camden’s cabinet, the 10 most senior councillors who have the final say on policy. He has been subjected to regular streams of angry social media posts from drivers about changes to the roads, but found favour among cyclists looking for safer routes through London’s streets.

The cathedral city of Chester [Crashlanded]

Asking to be selected 200 miles from the borough, he published a map detailing how he had been born, gone to school and now planned to get married in Chester.

His campaign literature did not mention Camden or his Bloomsbury ward by name but said he had taken a seat from the Tories. This is a reference to the only time Conservatives have had a councillor in Bloomsbury, when the popular art gallerist Rebecca Hossack served one term before stepping down voluntarily. Labour then resumed to normal service of holding all three seats in the ward.

“This [Chester] is a special place,” his unsuccessful pitch said. “We need someone who will shout about this from the rafters because not enough people know just how special it is.”

Chester is where the Northern soap Hollyoaks is set, but tourists come to see the historic buildings including a Roman amphitheatre.

In a two-horse race, Labour memvers selected former Chester council leader Samantha Dixon over Cllr Harrison. He tweeted afterwards that he would be “back on the doors” to make a Labour victory happen next month.

Cllr Danny Beales

The party has enjoyed surging poll ratings for weeks amid a government meltdown which saw Liz Truss bundled out off Downing Street after just six weeks in charge.

Cllr Harrison’s attempt to win selection comes on the heels of Camden’s regeneration supremo Labour councillor Danny Beales, a fellow cabinet member here, announcing he was bidding to stand in the parliamentary constituency of Uxbridge and South Ruislip. He has pledged to move to Hillingdon if he becomes the MP there.

Former prime minister Boris Johnson currently holds the seat but has been warned he could be ousted. At least three other Labour councillors are understood to be interested in getting selected for a parliamentary contest and the various attempts could alter the future of leadership of council if possible long-term successors to current Town Hall leader Georgia Gould move away to other challenges.