Ian Levy selected as Conservative candidate for the proposed Cramlington and Killingworth constituency

The Blyth Valley constituency is due to split into two and the neighbouring Wansbeck constituency would disappear under Boundary Commission proposals due to be implemented before the next General Election.

Two new seats would be created – Blyth & Ashington and Cramlington & Killingworth.

At a recent Northumberland Conservatives meeting, Mr Levy, currently MP for Blyth Valley, was adopted as the official Tory candidate for the proposed Cramlington & Killingworth constituency.

He said: “I would have preferred to continue to represent Blyth Valley, which includes Cramlington and Seaton Valley, but that option wasn’t available.

“I’m honoured to have been selected as the candidate for Cramlington and Killingworth, which will contain more of my existing constituents than the Blyth and Ashington seat. I already represent nine of the 14 wards in the (proposed) new seat, so many local people there already know how committed I am to the area.

“I am proud of my record representing constituents across the patch and securing around £350million of investment into the area. Blyth is my home town and I am pleased to have been able to make such a difference in a short time.

“I will continue working hard for the whole Blyth Valley constituency and championing the wider area.”

Projects that he highlighted during his time as MP for Blyth Valley so far include the Northumberland Line, Town Deal and Future High Street Funding for Blyth town centre, the new Culture Hub and Energy Central Learning Hub and a new school build for Astley High and Whytrig Middle in Seaton Delaval.

Richard Wearmouth, chairman of Northumberland Conservatives, said: “Ian has been a fantastic MP for the Blyth Valley constituency, achieving more in a few short years than has been done for decades.

“His constituents in Cramlington and Seaton Valley will be pleased with his adoption and the new voters in the Newcastle and North Tyneside wards will have the opportunity to vote for a Conservative candidate whose entire focus is on getting things done and improving our area.”