Angeliki Stogia is running for the Labour party(Image: Getty Images)
The Rejoin the EU party has announced its candidate for the Gorton and Denton by-election taking place later this month.
Residents of the Greater Manchester constituency will head to the polls on February 26 to elect their new MP. The by-election was triggered by the resignation of MP Andrew Gwynne, who confirmed the news on Thursday (January 22) on social media.
Joseph O’Meachair, a member of the The Rejoin the EU’s party executive committee, is to stand as its candidate in the forthcoming Gorton & Denton by-election.
O’Meachair, who lives in the North West, said: “I’m standing to offer voters the opportunity to send a strong message to Keir Starmer, Labour and others – that politicians can no longer ignore the damage caused by Brexit and that we need to re-join the EU.
“Britain is being humiliated on the world stage. Our self-respect demands that we re-join a strong democratic bloc to resist pressures from some nations whose only aim appears simply to be to further their own narrow self interests.”
Andy Burnham stepped forward to stand for Labour in the by-election but was rejected by the Party’s ruling committee. A ten-member National Executive (NEC) blocked Burnham from standing in the by-election under a rule designed to stop mayors triggering costly by-elections.
Rejoin EU Party chairman Brendan Donnelly said: “Re-joining the EU should not be a vague aspiration for the remote future. It’s an urgent task for the here and now.
“An increasing number of voters realise the damage Brexit is doing to this country. This by-election will allow the voters of Gorton & Denton to call for an end to the chaos by voting for our candidate Joseph O’Meachair.”
Labour announced their candidate, Angeliki Stogia, on Saturday. Other candidates previously announced include Matt Goodwin for Reform UK, Hannah Spencer for the Green Party, Charlotte Cadden for the Conservative Party and Jackie Pearcey for the Liberal Democrats.