Deputy Mayor Chaz Singh announces plans to stand for parliament

Plymouth's present deputy Lord Mayor, Councillor Chaz Singh has announced his intention to run for parliament at the next general election.

Cllr Singh hopes to be selected as the Labour Party's candidate and has declared his plans on a new Facebook page saying: "I'm standing to be Labour's candidate in Plymouth Sutton & Devonport. Plymouth is where I work, rest and play since 2002. This will be the first time I'll be standing as Prospective Parlimentary Candidate."

The seat is currently held by the Conservative MP, Oliver Colvile who won the seat from Labour's Linda Gilroy at the 2010 general election. Mr Colvile has a majority of just 1,149 making the seat a key target for Labour at the next election, due to take place in 2015.

Cllr Singh will face the party's internal selection process and other likely challengers for the candidacy for the seat.

Labour hold just two seats in Devon - Exeter (Ben Bradshaw) and Plymouth (Alison Seabeck).