THE Labour Party will make a decision this week about who it wants to replace Julia Drown, left, as MP for South Swindon.

Since Ms Drown announced she would stand aside at the next general election after two terms, candidates hoping to take-over the £50,000 a year job have been jostling for position.

Under Labour party rules, would-be MPs have to go through a long selection and approval process, which will come to a head this weekend.

Candidates who have made the final shortlist have been asked to attend a private meeting in Broad Green Community Centre on Saturday.

There, they will face members of the local constituency party.

After giving a speech the hopefuls will be grilled by the audience on personal and policy issues.

That question-and-answer session will be followed by a vote, open only to members of the South Swindon branch of the party.

And the winner will become the new contender.

Ms Drown, who was elected when Tony Blair swept into office in 1997, said all would be revealed once the final decision had been made.

She said: "The matter of choosing the Labour candidate to fight the next general election will be made democratically by the party. We have excellent candidates and I'm confident they would make excellent MPs for Swindon."