I WANT to be Swindon’s voice in Westminster, not Westminster’s voice in Swindon, says Labour’s new prospective parliamentary candidate for North Swindon.

Popular campaigner and activist Kate Linnegar has been selected by Labour members to fight the North Swindon seat at the next general election, currently scheduled for 2022.

Ms Linnegar said she was “extremely excited” about bagging the selection and she spoke passionately about what it means to her.

She said: “I am very honoured that the members of North Swindon have entrusted me to lead the campaign to win the constituency, which we are going to do.

“I feel privileged that I will now be in a position to be able to make people’s lives better, which is what Labour is all about.”

Ms Linnegar, who lives in Rodbourne, and firmly backs the leadership of Jeremy Corbyn, has been involved with local activism for a number of years.

She has been an active member of the Swindon People’s Assembly and was last month officially recognised by Amnesty International and named a ‘human rights defender’ as part of the charity’s Suffragette Spirit project.

Penhill and Upper Stratton councillor Mark Dempsey fought the North Swindon seat for Labour during the 2017 general election, but came more than 8,000 votes behind the Conservative’s Justin Tomlinson.

Mr Dempsey decided not to stand for selection this time.

Many considered Mr Tomlinson not to have been in any real danger of losing his seat to Labour last year, but his new challenger is sure that things will be different at the next election.

“What happens nationally affects us locally. So if we can get a Labour government nationally, that is going to be an improvement for the whole of Swindon,” she said.

“I think the biggest challenge everywhere across the country, locally and nationally, is the economy – how do we find enough money to do the things we want to?”

She spoke of her desire to build a “caring and compassionate society”, tackle high rents and combat homelessness.

She also dismissed the suggestion that she should try for another seat if she’s unsuccessful in North Swindon, insisting that her loyalty is entirely to the town and the residents.

Asked if she would welcome a general election before 2022, she said: “Bring it on.”