Labour has chosen an American-born London councillor to mount its bid to win back north east Somerset.
Lecturer and lawyer Todd Foreman, who is a councillor in the borough of Kensington and Chelsea, has been selected as the prospective Parliamentary candidate for the seat currently held by Tory Jacob Rees-Mogg.
He was chosen today, ahead of Bath campaigner Jo McCarron and Essex politician Russell Kennedy.
Mr Foreman, who became a British citizen in 2006, said he was "delighted and honoured" to have been chosen.
He said: "North East Somerset is not immune to the impact of this Tory-led Government's cuts and decisions.
"People here worry about the rising cost of living, changes to their NHS services and access to good education for their children.
"I will be working hard over the next two years with our local party and the community to ensure that North East Somerset has a Labour MP to be their voice on these issues come 2015."
The seat has similar boundaries to the Wansdyke constituency held by Labour's Dan Norris between 1997 and 2010.
Mr Rees-Mogg has a majority of 4,914.
Mr Foreman, who formed a civil partnership with Mark Sautter in 2006, lives in Notting Hill and lists his interests as cooking, travel, making mosaics and speaking French and German.
Adrian Inker, Chair of the Constituency Labour Party, said: "Todd will be a fantastic campaigner whom the local membership will waste no time in getting behind.
"We invite the people of North East Somerset to get to know him as they consider who is best placed to represent them from 2015."
The Liberal Democrats have yet to declare their PPC.
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