'The honour of my life' - Rosie Wrighting chosen as Labour's candidate to fight for Kettering MP seat

Rosie Wrighting says it’s the honour of her life to be chosen as Kettering’s Labour candidate for the next general election.

The 26-year-old was selected by members over local party secretary Martin Shepherd at a hustings event last night (Tuesday).

She hopes to be the first Labour candidate to win in Kettering since 2001, when Phil Sawford defeated current Conservative MP Philip Hollobone, and if elected she would be Kettering’s first female MP. She would also be one of the UK’s youngest MPs.

Rosie grew up in Geddington and went to Bishop Stopford School Kettering and Montsaye Academy in Rothwell. She chose to pursue a retail career when she was 16 and worked on the shop floor in Kettering’s town centre before becoming a buyer at ASOS. Raised by her mum, a local youth worker, Rosie has also volunteered in Kettering at well-being cafes, food banks and holiday clubs.

She said: “It's the honour of my life to be selected to represent my home, Kettering, as Labour's Parliamentary candidate.

"I grew up in this community, so I know the people across the Kettering constituency deserve better.

“Labour is the change Kettering needs. I will imbed myself in our communities, fighting for local issues.

"We will have a campaign that speaks to people, voters, across the A6 towns and villages. We are running a campaign to win here, and I’m really looking forward to speaking to voters across the constituency.”

Labour have a mountain to climb to win in Kettering as the Tories have a whopping majority of almost 17,000, after romping home the last time the nation went to the polls in 2019.

But Labour are on course for a landslide national victory at the next general election – which many expect to be in autumn 2024 – and one polling website has the Conservatives’ vote share lead in Kettering down as under five per cent.