LABOUR has selected its candidate to fight for the Old Bexley and Sidcup Parliamentary seat.

Ibby Mehmet, 27, will take on Conservative incumbent and immigration minister James Brokenshire in the general election in May 2015.

The former Bexleyheath School pupil is also standing for Labour in Colyers ward at the Bexley Council elections this May.

Mr Mehmet lives in Cuxton Close in Bexleyheath and works as a democracy and governance manager at Goldsmiths University Students’ Union.

The part time political consultant to the Qatar embassy in London says he is excited at having the chance to overturn Mr Brokenshire’s majority of nearly 16,000.

He told News Shopper: "I think it’s very important to have local people fighting for local seats.

"I was born at Queen Mary’s and I know the area better than I know myself.

"It’s important to be talking about the right issues like the cost of living and the rise in transport costs – the sort of things people are going to be concerned about.

"I’m going to be fighting for families that are struggling with austerity."