MORE potential candidates vying to be Labour’s next parliamentary candidate in Worcester have been revealed.

Three new names have been added to the list in the search for Labour’s next representative in Worcester including Guildhall stalwart Jabba Riaz, former city councillor Tom Collins and ex-soldier Mike Crofts who join fellow hopefuls Roh Yakobi and Mark Williams.

Long-serving councillor Jabba Riaz, who is currently the deputy leader of the city council’s Labour group, has put his name forward saying “the time was now right” to represent the party on a national level.

Tom Collins, who has lived in Worcester for 17 years and served as a councillor representing the city’s Rainbow Hill ward for Labour between 2018 until May before deciding not to stand again, will also be standing for the chance to represent the party in Parliament.  

Former soldier Mike Crofts, who also founded the 3Pillars Project charity which helps ex-offenders and vulnerable young people through sport, will also be on the list as the city’s next potential Labour candidate.

The latest names on the list of potential Labour parliamentary candidates means at least five men will fight for the right to stand, which comes after the party’s last two candidates were picked from all-women shortlists.

Already on the list of candidates was Roh Yakobi, who announced his intention to stand earlier this month.

Mr Yakobi fled Afghanistan after being captured and tortured as a 12-year-old child by the Taliban and arrived in Britain in 2004.

He joins former Southwark councillor Mark Williams, who lives in London but grew up and attended school in Droitwich, as prospective parliamentary candidates.

The city has been represented by Conservative Robin Walker since 2010 after he defeated Mike Foster – who was the first and last Labour MP to be elected in Worcester having held the seat for 13 years from 1997.

Robin Walker won again in 2015 and 2017 to keep hold of the seat for the Conservatives – finishing in front of Labour’s Joy Squires on both occasions with majorities of 5,646 and 2,508 – before defeating the city’s now Labour leader Lynn Denham with over half the vote and a 6,758 majority in 2019.