Rotheram triggers race for Walton after confirming resignation

Steve Rotheram has confirmed his intention to step down as Walton MP, but Joe Anderson, mayor of Liverpool, must wait to find out if his bid for candidacy is approved by Labour’s selection panel.

Party leader Jeremy Corbyn is said to favour union-backed Dan Carden for the safe seat. Carden, born in Liverpool, is Len McCluskey’s aide at Unite. Carden’s father, Mike, was a shop steward in the Liverpool dockers’ strike in the 1990s.

Labour has a 27,000 vote majority in Liverpool Walton.

In his resignation statement, following election as mayor of Liverpool City Region, Rotheram said: “Over the last few weeks, since the announcement of the snap general election, I have spoken with numerous people to try to ensure that they understand the depth of feeling that a local candidate should be chosen to succeed me – just as my predecessor did when I was selected in 2010.”

If Anderson was successful in his ambition to become the MP for Liverpool Walton, he would stand down as mayor of Liverpool, prompting a by-election.