A FORMER Mail sub-editor missed out on being selected as the MP for Lancaster and Fleetwood.

Conservative Louise Thistlethwaite was beaten by the Barrow-born Cat Smith as Labour held on to the seat.

Ms Smith was re-elected with a 2,380 majority after gaining the votes of more than 21,000 of her constituents.

Mrs Thistlethwaite came second in the contest with more than 18,000 votes.

The turnout was 64.7 per cent, with a total of 45,348 votes cast.

Labour's vote shared diminished by 8.3 per cent in the seat compared with the last election in 2017.

The Tory vote was up by one per cent.

Labour's majority was cut by around 5,000 votes.

Third place in the vote was Liberal Democrat Peter Jackson on just over 2,000 votes.

Behind him was the Brexit Party's Leanne Murray and Green candidate Caroline Jackson.