PRAISE has been issued to the candidate selected by Labour to fight the South Swindon seat at the next general election.

Sarah Church was chosen by party members at the weekend to challenge sitting Tory MP Robert Buckland at the next election, scheduled for May 2022.

In a statement following her selection, the former Army major took aim at the government over cuts to public services and sought to establish herself as the best person to safeguard the interests of residents.

She has previously worked closely with a number of campaign groups in the town, one of which is the Swindon branch of Keep Our NHS Public (KONP).

KONP is a nationwide action group that works to “stop the privatisation and commercialisation of our NHS”.

Samantha Wathen, from KONP Swindon, said: “I am very pleased to hear of Sarah’s reappointment and offer my congratulations.

“Sarah is an active and very valued member of KONP Swindon and clearly has the best interests of our NHS at heart.

“Sarah made great gains back in June and we are hopeful that going forward she may have the opportunity to promote the aims of our group in government.”

The mother-of-three came just 2,464 votes behind Tory Candidate Robert Buckland in the election in June.

She slashed the Conservative majority by more than half and achieving a 9 per cent swing in her party’s favour.

Jim Grant, leader of the Labour Group in Swindon, also offered his congratulations.

He said: “It is fantastic news that Sarah has been selected as Labour’s South Swindon parliamentary candidate. As a South Swindon Labour member I enthusiastically voted for her during the selection.

“I think she has demonstrated both in the local campaigns she has led and her work with individual local residents, that she will be a diligent and effective MP.

“The current MP’s government has a lot to answer for in terms of leaving people in poverty through the Universal Credit rollout, an unfair planning system that leaves housebuilders able to do whatever they like, and our NHS in crisis.

“I’m sure Sarah will be challenging the sitting MP on these issues.”

Kind words were also offered by one of Sarah’s former sparring partners Talis Kimberley-Fairbourn, who challenged the South Swindon seat for the Green Party last year.

Talis said: “I’m delighted that Sarah Church will once again be my Labour counterpart in the event of a general election.

“I first met Sarah on the Save Swindon’s Libraries campaign, and found her a very civil and decent person."

She added: "Perhaps now would therefore be a good opportunity for all candidates of all parties in both the forthcoming local elections and any general election, to commit to a transparent, truthful, and positive campaign?"