THE new Labour candidate set to fight to become Barrow’s MP has been announced.

Chris Altree, a former soldier who lives in Ormsgill, will run for the party in the next general election, expected to be in 2022.

Mr Altree was Born in Furness General Hospital and has spent the majority of his life in Barrow.

He joined the British Army in 2008 as an engineer in The Royal Corp of Signals.

During his time as a soldier, he served in The Falklands and Afghanistan, leaving as a Lance Corporal in 2013.

He returned to Barrow to work as a Railway Signaller for Network Rail.

Mr Altree is a board member of the Bluebirds Trust.

He is also a trade unionist and open in his support of the current industrial action.

A spokesman for Labour North West made the announcement today (February 2).

They said: "Congratulations Chris Altree on being selected as Labour's candidate for Barrow and Furness at the next general election.

"The campaign starts here!"

The current MP for Barrow and Furness, John Woodcock, was elected as a Labour MP in 2010 but resigned from the party in the middle of last year.

Mr Woodcock has sent his best wishes to the new Labour candidate, he said: “I wish Chris well but it is telling that my former Labour colleagues have picked as their candidate someone who only joined the party to make Jeremy Corbyn leader over a shipyard worker who serves on the local council.

“Jeremy Corbyn’s candidate is determined to make the Labour leader Britain’s Prime Minister and that would be a disaster for our community.”