Labour’s new Parliamentary candidate for Leeds North West says his focus will be on jobs and education.

Alex Sobel has been confirmed as the party’s candidate for the seat, which includes Otley, Yeadon, Pool-in-Wharfedale, Bramhope and Arthington.

Currently a Leeds city councillor, the 38-year-old is also general manager of Social Enterprise Yorkshire and the Humber and lives in Weetwood with his wife, Susan, and two sons.

He said: “I’m absolutely delighted to have been selected to be our candidate for Leeds North West.

“My priorities are simple: good jobs and high quality education for the people of the constituency.

“We need to be working to bring green manufacturing and hi-tech jobs to Leeds and we need to campaign for high quality universal state education, including cutting the crippling tuition fees pushing our students and graduates into debt.

“Together we can draw on the strength of our schools and universities to create the kind of high skill, high pay economy that is the future for Leeds.

“I will also be working closely with communities to protect our green spaces.”

from inappropriate development and ensure we build the right sort of houses on brownfield sites, ensuring people can stay within the communities they have lived all their lives whilst protecting the traditional boundaries of our towns and villages.

“I’m confident we can win here, but to do so we need to get out to meet and listen to as many voters as possible. That hard work starts right away.”

The seat is currently held by Liberal Democrat Greg Mulholland, who has been the area’s MP since 2005 when he won it from Labour.

Mr Mulholland significantly increased his majority at the last General Election, securing 20,653 votes, while the Conservative candidate came second, with 11,550, and Labour third with 9,132.